Bridgetown, sent off as the heavy favorite at 0.70-1, showcased a new running style when he rallied from fourth to take the $150,000 Woodford Stakes (gr. III) at Keeneland by a length.
With Javier Castellano aboard for trainer Todd Pletcher, the normally front-running colt was beaten to the lead by Great Mills, Ginplay, and Chamberlain Bridge during the opening stages of the race. The first two mentioned colts opened up a 2 1/2 length advantage while running the opening quarter mile in :21.67 seconds. Chamberlain Bridge was racing in third, a head in front of Bridgetown, while Icon Ike and Wekiva Wachee were the early trailers.
Great Mills continued to lead through a half-mile in :44.53 seconds, and turned for home with the lead. He maintained that advantage past the eighth pole, which he reached in a quick :56.29 seconds, but Bridgetown was closing in gamely on the outside, and the favored colt eventually drew clear to win the 5-1/2 furlong turf sprint by a length in 1:02.55 seconds.
Great Mills held off a late run from Chamberlain Bridge to finish second, while Wekiva Wachee, Icon Ike, and Ginplay completed the order of finish.
Owned by Melnyk Racing Stables, Bridgetown has now compiled an excellent record of 9-5-1 from 19 starts, with earnings of $934,700.
-Keelerman
No comments:
Post a Comment