Once Haunted in Sparkling Victory

Trainer Loubrown knew he had something special on his hands long before Once Haunted ever saw a starting gate.  “This colt did everything right from day one.  He’s smart, friendly, and gentle as a lamb.  If he wasn’t so fast, he’d be a riding horse for kids.”

 

The trainer continued, “He broke easy as pie and acted like a racehorse all along.  The first time I ever had the boy turn him the right way of the track, he acted like he’d been doing it his whole life.  And he walks into the starting gate like a professional.  None of that crazy behavior most youngsters go through.  And you talk about fast!  This colt is FAST, fast.  So it was only natural that I started him off in a stakes race.”

 

Yes, Once Haunted debuted in a stakes race and has raced exclusively in stakes ever since.  Twenty-two career starts.  Every one a stake.  Ten wins.  Remarkable.

 

Saturday was the same old formula.  Ungraded turf sprint=Once Haunted victory.  The big gray stalked the strong early pace set by Indy Bertrando, put that one away in midstretch, and easily held sway from favored High N Black who rallied belatedly for the place.  Longshot Boricua Soy raced surprisingly well to garner show honors.  Once Haunted covered the grassy six and a half panels in a swift 1:15.2 which is just one tick off Haro’s course record of 1:15.1.