After competing in all three Triple Crown races without success, Optimizer has finally found his niche as a front-running turf horse, and the son of English Channel used those tactics with success to pick up his first graded stakes victory this afternoon in the $200,000 Kent Stakes (gr. III) at Delaware Park.
Ridden to victory by Jon Court, Optimizer got off to an excellent start at the beginning of the nine-furlong race and sprinted away to grab the early lead while pressured by Excaper. Coming out of the chute and rounding the first turn, Court allowed Excaper to take over a half-length advantage while keeping Optimizer along the rail in a good position. Star Channel was their closest pursuer, racing about two lengths behind, with Cozzetti and Miami Cat next in line. Favored Lucky Chappy was on the far outside in the sixth position, followed then by Corinthian's Jewel, Two Months Rent, Unbroken, and Twilight Eclipse.
Through testing fractions of :22 3/5, :46 4/5, and 1:10 3/5, Excaper and Optimizer continued to show the way, and coming off the final turn, Optimizer kicked away from his rival to seize command of the lead. Star Channel briefly loomed a menace on the outside, but flattened out in the stretch, leaving Optimizer to coast home a decisive five-length winner in the good time of 1:47 1/5.
Excaper held on to finish second over Two Months Rent, while Star Channel rounded out the superfecta. Twilight Eclipse, Unbroken, Lucky Chappy, Cozzetti, Miami Cat, and Corinthian's Jewel completed the order of finish.
A son of English Channel out of the A.P. Indy mare Indy Pick, Optimizer is owned by Bluegrass Hall LLC and trained by D. Wayne Lukas. The colt has now compiled a record of 3-2-1 from 16 starts with earnings of $428,714.
-Keelerman
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