Preferred Power realizes Eclipse(G1) potential
(Week 2678) Newmarket– Jockey Antonio Craig, pilot of Preferred Power, put it best: “The horse just left no doubt.”
And rain or shine be denied, there just wasn’t any doubt as to who was the class of the field in the Grade 1 $1,000,000 Eclipse Stakes. Despite never testing over a yielding course, Preferred Power had the plain and pure goods on this group.
Classic Preferrence
The 4YO son of Pulpit brought serious classic distance credentials to the Eclipse. As the odds-on fave, he won the Judgemont International(G1) over the summer in a bellicose 10.5 furlong trip. That victory clearly reaffirmed his arrival in the division. Earlier this year, Preferred Power began his ’05 campaign with a 4-race win streak, posting some gorgeous numbers from 9f to 10f. The colt even bagged a Grade 3 across the pond at Florida.
Toss in a springtime second, missing by a whisker to good turf handicapper Militant in Ireland’s Keg Of Guiness(G1), and the credentials’ cup spilleth over. Did I mention that he finished a brave second to Sunnybank Memorial in the Man O’ War(G1) too?
Soundness Mystery
All in all, Preferred Power brought a stellar resume worthy of second-favorite status in the Eclipse. There was some mystery though to his recent form: the colt suffers from soundness issues. He was injured as a sophomore and reaggravated the old wound following his Man O’ War effort. After a so-so prep race in late October, doubters jumped off the bandwagon. Could the colt recover in just two races back from layoff?
Power Throttle
The Eclipse field gathered Breeders Bowl Mile runner-up I Am Scheming and several tasty longshots. A lightly raced Deputy Minister son named Fluminese numbered among them. The colt figured well enough on the pace, but this reporter predicted that both inexperience and possible pace pressure would see him fold soon.
That did not turn out to be the case. Fluminese survived an early pace challenge from Horse Run A Foul(IRE) and merrily led the group some five lengths on top in the turn for home. Meanwhile, Craig and Preferred Power revved up the engines in midpack, picking up horses on a sweet glide down the backstretch. By the top of the lane, Craig asked ‘Power for a dead run.
“The course didn’t bother him one bit,” Craig said. “‘Power skimmed up to that pacesetter full throttle and didn’t even have to stare him down. I swear, he had another gear left, but I went easy on him.”
Greatest Victory Yet
Preferred Power crossed the line 3 1/2 lengths much the best over a miltinho’s gallant Fluminese. Final time was 2:01 1/5, just two-ticks off of His Knees’ stakes record (2003).
“Preferred Power has always run in Allied Assault’s shadow,” trainer dshock (aka Kingab) beamed in the winner’s circle. “But this is his second Grade 1 win and he is a very nice horse.”
Kingab then clued in reporters about the colt’s recent form:
“I was very confident that he would run well, because (in his last race) he had been off six weeks on purpose, and then run at 90% in that much smaller stakes. I lost my confidence when the track came up so soft, because he had never been on an off track. He has now!”
All doubts now set aside, the convincing victory pushed Preferred Power’s bankroll to over $1.8 million. He’s now a winner of 14 of 29 career outings and currently ranks 3rd in the Older Horse Classic Turf Division.