Odds-on favorite Commander had to dig deep, but the four-year-old gelding got the job done by a head in the $100,000 BC Premier's Handicap (gr. III) at Hastings Racecourse on Monday.
Ridden to victory by Mario Gutierrez, Commander -- who had won his previous three starts in gate-to-wire fashion -- was beaten to the early lead by Northern Causeway, who forced Commander to chase fractions of :23.84 and :46.50; truly blazing fractions when going 1 3/8th miles. Four lengths behind Commander was Jebrica, getting a perfect trip behind the speed duel. Crew Leader and Wilo Kat were racing in mid-pack, while Three Wood and Brass Plate trailed the field.
Commander was able to get to the lead following three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.53 seconds, but wasn't able to shake clear of Northern Causeway until the three-eighths pole, which he reached in 1:37.35. It would have done Commander good to take a breather at this point, but the gelding was unable to do so because he was quickly confronted by Jebrica, who presented a strong challenge immediately after Northern Causeway gave way. Thus, Commander and Jebrica entered the homestretch locked together with little between them, Commander maintaining a narrow edge. At the eighth pole they were six lengths clear of everyone else, and they continued to extend there advantage to the wire, which Commander reached first by a head. The final time was 2:16.92 seconds.
Jebrica proved game in defeat, finishing 13 1/4 lengths clear of Northern Causeway, who just held on to third by a head over Wilo Kat. Brass Plate and Crew Leader trailed the field. Three Wood broke down at the three-sixteenths pole and was subsequently vanned off.
Trained by Troy Tailor and owned by the North American Thoroughbred Horse Company, Commander has now won six straight races, all of them stakes. A son of Broken Vow out of the Deputy Minister mare Pout, Commander is being pointed toward a start in the $500,000 Breeders' Cup Marathon (gr. III) on November 2nd at Santa Anita Park.
-Keelerman
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