Here are some brief recaps of last week’s races. I shall post my thoughts regarding the Gotham and the rest of tomorrow’s spectacular races later this afternoon.
FEATURE RACE RECAP ---- Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II)
The results of the Fountain of Youth Stakes were, to be perfectly honest, shocking. No, I was not surprised that To Honor and Serve lost. I halfway expected him to, since he was coming off of a long layoff. But I was quite disappointed by just how badly he was beaten.
Despite the fact that To Honor and Serve is (or perhaps more appropriately, ‘was’) among everyone’s top Kentucky Derby picks, he was not sent off as the favorite. That honor went to Soldat, who had impressively won an allowance race at Gulfstream Park in January. He was sent off at 1.40-1, with To Honor and Serve at 1.70-1. Gourmet Dinner was 3.80-1, and none of the five other entries were sent off at less than double-digit odds.
Quickest out of the gate was Gourmet Dinner, but it was Soldat who was hustled away to take the early lead from the rail. He was tracked by 80-1 shot El Grayling, with To Honor and Serve settling into third. Gourmet Dinner had taken back to fourth, just clear of Casper’s Touch and Shackleford. Bowman’s Causeway and Racing Aptitude trailed the field.
The opening fractions were moderate, with Soldat leading the way through an opening quarter mile in :24.34 and a half in :47.99. Casper’s Touch, who was rank and forced to steady on the first turn, had dropped back to seventh but other than that the positions remained unchanged.
Then To Honor and Serve made his bid for the lead. He drew up alongside El Grayling and then drew to within a head of Soldat after running three-quarters of a mile in 1:12.43. It looked like the Remsen winner would win the race easily despite the long layoff.
However, Soldat had other ideas, and quickly made them known. He repulsed To Honor and Serve’s bid like it was nothing and entered the homestretch with a decisive lead.
To Honor and Serve briefly attempted to stay with him, but it was obvious that he was finished. Gourmet Dinner provided a mild challenge in the stretch, but Soldat turned him back as well, hitting the wire two lengths in front while completing the nine furlongs in 1:50.23.
To Honor and Serve finished a distant third, nearly seven lengths behind the winner. Bowman’s Causeway rallied well for fourth.
Here are the complete results. . .
1 Soldat
2 Gourmet Dinner
3 To Honor and Serve
4 Bowman’s Causeway
5 Shackleford
6 Racing Aptitude
7 Casper’s Touch
8 El Grayling
Here were my selections:
1 To Honor and Serve
2 Soldat
3 Gourmet Dinner
4 Bowman’s Causeway
5 Casper’s Touch
6 Shackleford
7 Racing Aptitude
8 El Grayling
And here were J.R.’s selections:
1 Gourmet Dinner
2 To Honor and Serve
3 Soldat
4 Casper’s Touch
5 Bowman’s Causeway
6 Shackleford
7 El Grayling
8 Racing Aptitude
It is apparent that To Honor and Serve needed the race, and wasn’t nearly as fit as he was last year. He will only be racing once more prior to the Kentucky Derby, so he will have to show a lot more in his final prep race in order to warrant serious consideration as a Derby contender.
As for Soldat, give him credit. He ran a remarkable race and has implanted the fact that he is a serious Derby contender in everyone’s minds. Bowman’s Causeway should also be watched; I believe he is a rapidly improving colt who may have something to say regarding future Triple Crown prep races.
OTHER RACE RESULTS
February 26th
• Flashpoint looked like a star in the making when he won the grade II Hutcheson Stakes at seven furlongs on the Fountain of Youth undercard. Sent off as the third choice, he dueled for the lead with heavy-favorite Travelin Man before drawing off to win by 7 ¼ lengths. It was a stunning performance, and the Kentucky Derby is the colt’s goal. Travelin Man finished second, while 50-1 shot Little Drama rallied for third.
• In the Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II), also on the undercard of the Fountain of Youth, grade I winner R Heat Lightning drew off to a remarkable victory. Sent off as the second choice, she took over the lead in the stretch and powered away to win by 7 ¼ lengths. Favored Dancinginherdreams finished a distant second.
• J J’s Lucky Train and Bandbox put on a show in the seven-furlong Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Park. Never more than a length apart, they dueled gamely through the length of the stretch, with J J’s Lucky Train eking out a neck victory. Bandbox finished a courageous second in his first start since November, 8 ½ lengths clear of Wicked Thunder.
• It came down to the stablemates in a Fair Grounds allowance optional claiming race at Fair Grounds. Left and Sour, both trained by Al Stall Jr., ran 1-2 in the mile and seventy yards event, with Left gamely defeating his entry mate by a length. Don Dulce rallied for third, with Hydro Power and Lumberyard Jack completing the order of finish.
• There was yet another race on the undercard of the Fountain of Youth that merits attention. A nine furlong allowance race for three-year-olds, the favorites were Arch Traveler and Nacho Business and they ran 1-2. Arch Traveler tracked the early pace to win by three-quarters of a length and held off Nacho Business, who closed rapidly in the final furlong.
• Amazingly, there was one more race on the Fountain of Youth undercard which yielded interesting results. In the sixth race, a maiden special weight, heavily favored San Pablo went straight to the lead and held on in the stretch to win by 1 ¼ lengths.
• The Turf Paradise Derby yielded shocking results. Indian Winter, the heavy favorite, ran third after being rank. This allowed 40-1 shot Beer Meister to win in a last-to-first performance, rallying from 22 lengths off the lead to win by two lengths. Twice the Appeal ran second, but was disqualified for interference in the stretch and placed fourth. The final time was a quick 1:41.99.
• Mr. Commons turned in a sharp effort in a one-mile allowance race at Santa Anita Park, out gaming Hollywood Heist and Chiloquin to win by a head in a three-way photo finish. The three were never more than a length apart, and were separated by less than a neck during the final quarter of a mile. They closed their final quarter mile in :24 seconds flat, and the final time was a sharp 1:34.84. Keep an eye on all three!
February 27th
• The Ole Gen and Supreme Ruler staged a thrilling stretch duel in a mile and a sixteenth Oaklawn allowance race, with The Ole Gen coming back after being passed by the latter to win by a head. It was 6 ¼ lengths further back to favored Commander. Expect a Rebel Stakes contender or two to emerge from this race.
-Keelerman
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