Big Race Recaps 2804
Call this week “Newcomers” week. Some of the big winners this week have won grade I races before but those runners asserted themselves as top players in their respective divisions while others got their first grade I wins. Some of the old guard favorites continued their winning ways for quite an interesting week.
Race: 2804.5115
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one quarter on the Dirt
Solar Song runs a huge speed figure out running his rivals by three impressive lengths. No real surprises here in the Sand Castle Classic as the top three horses finished in the top three. Solar Song looks like the new king of older runners with this most impressive win. He was well back early on in the race nearly twelve lengths behind the early pace setters. He geared up quickly and was in full flight through the stretch catching Wonderboy Cougar (IRE) in deep stretch pulling away much the best.
Wonderboy Cougar (IRE) stalked the early pace then took over the lead around the turn into the stretch by a length and a half. Any other day and he wins with a move like that but he had no answer for Solar Song this day. Call of the Wild II ran his race stalking the early pace mid pack. He was never far from the leaders As Wonderboy took the lead around the turn and into the stretch Call of the Wild II was moving up. He was making up ground on Wonderboy when Solar Song blew by and he continued to get closer to Wonderboy finishing just a quarter length back in third.
Race: 2804.5113
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one half on the Turf
Puppet Regime shocks them all at 14-1. He was actually cutting back in distance for this race and ran the race of his young career posting a career best 112-speed figure. His two previous graded stakes runs were mid pack finishes but he put it all together in
Rapid Grey was the only closer gaining a bunch of ground today and he kept eating up the distance between he and Puppet Regime but it was not enough in the end as he came up a length short of the long shot winner. Pace setter Confederacy (IRE) held third over one of the favorites
Race: 2804.5112 Sand Castle Golden Sprint – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track: Dubai
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: Six furlongs on the Dirt
In what was surprisingly a slowly run race for this caliber of horses Looking for More was able to just get by reigning Breeder’s Bowl Sprint winner Casterly Rock (IRE) at the wire for quite an exciting finish. Looking for More was dead last early on nine and a half lengths off the pace. He only had one horse passed by the top of the stretch but powered home from there. At the top of the stretch Casterly Rock (IRE) had moved and took control not far into the stretch. He looked positioned to add to his impressive list of accomplishments but Looking for More kept driving and in the last few steps to the wire got in front for a half length win over Casterly Rock (IRE). King of the Slews also closed from well back to get up for third just a length behind the winner.
Race: 2804.5114 Sand Castle Fee Duty – Grade I – $2,000,000
Track: Dubai
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Turf
Favored Seeking Sal took care of business and fired another great speed figure taking the Duty Free by a very impressive three and three quarter lengths. Seeking Sal was mid pack about seven lengths off the pace early not to too far off the pace. He loomed boldly around the turn for home and at the top of the stretch it was apparent who the best horse was today. He cruised through the stretch never really threatened on his way to the big win.
Causes Wood (IRE) was pressing the pace early in the race before taking over nearing the stretch. From there he moved away from the other pace setters but had no response when Seeking Sal went by. Causes Wood (IRE) held second a length in front of Preffered Power. Preffered Power was in close company with Seeking Sal most of the way during the race but could not match strides in the stretch.
Race: 2804.0615 Orange Blossom – Grade I – $500,000
Track: Arkansas
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one sixteenth on the Dirt
Caddilac Moon ran strongly today and may have put her self in position to stake a claim to the top older filly or mare in training. She was up a little closer to the pace setter today pressing the pace. She took over on the back stretch and never looked back. She was two and a half lengths ahead as she entered the stretch and she finished two and three quarters lengths ahead of the next best horse at the wire. She made it look easy.
Quiet Glory ran a good race to get second. She was stalking in fourth and moved up to second rounding the far turn into the stretch but she could not make up any ground on the winner racing evenly to the wire. Long shot Nurse Fager made a closing bid from well off the pace into the stretch but it was too little too late to catch the top two.
Race: 2804.0614 Oaktree Handicap – Grade I – $750,000
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Dirt
Sensationalize put together his best career speed figure closing with authority to beat out a solid field for his first grade I win. He has always teetered on that edge of greatness and now with two strong races already as a four year old he seems on his way to bigger and better things. He was well back early, as he always is, a little over twelve lengths off the pace setter. He picked up a lot of ground between the half mile pole and the top of the stretch where he exploded.
Sensationalize had to run down One Bold Rush who took the lead shortly after entering the stretch and he was up to the task. He closed steadily all through the stretch catching One Bold Rush late and pulling away to a near two length win. One Bold Rush stalked and pounced to near perfection for a solid second place finish. Desert Regent also stalked in mid pack and ran on in the stretch to get third five and a quarter lengths behind the winner.
Race: 2804.0315 Corkscrew Stakes – Grade I – $500,000
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Dirt
Virtuoso continues his winning ways this spring and now finds himself as one of the top contenders for the Bluegrass Derby. He closed again from well off the pace and won comfortably by two lengths in the end. He was eleven lengths back early and Wylde Cat looked to have the dream trip just off the pace setter.
Wylde Cat took control at the top of the stretch but Virtuoso had already cut five lengths into his lead and was full of run in the stretch running Wylde Cat down late and pulling away. Wylde Cat held second and 20-1 long shot Azroc Red N Yellow turned a stalking trip into a third place finish in a grade I.
Race: 2804.0515 Explosive Bet Stakes – Grade I – $500,000
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Turf
Top Jimmy closed from the clouds to score a solid two length grade I win. He was well back early nearly fourteen lengths off the pace. He literally screamed through the stretch to blow by his opponents. Top Jimmy out closed the very game Ollie’s Quest. Ollie’s Quest was well back as well just ahead of Top Jimmy to get the place. Don Pedro stalked the early pace in fourth and hung well in the stretch to earn the nod for third over another closer Neon Swan.
Race: 2804.5415 How Are You Gentlemen Cup – Grade I – $500,000
Track: New South Wales
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one sixteenth on the Turf
Chop Never Stops lived up to her name putting on a front running clinic on her way to a head victory over the race favorite Tenacious V. Chop Never Stops never really shook clear at any point in the race. She was under constant pressure by Verdant Field (IRE). Verdant Field (IRE) was right with Chop through the early stages and just when it looked like Chop might pull clear at the top of the stretch Verdant Field (IRE) pulled back up to her almost on even terms.
Meanwhile Tenacious V is making up ground from near dead last. Tenacious V kicked it up another notch in the stretch and as Chop Never Stops repelled Verdant Field (IRE) for the second time there was Tenacious V flying at her just missing on the wire. Verdant Field (IRE) finished third.