Toy Maker Battles Gamely, Holds Off Upstart Filly in Grade II Eviscerator
He was the fifth choice in the betting (and my own choice to win, I might immodestly add), coming off of a very disappointing start last time out, but darshaan stables’ Toy Maker ran one of the gutsiest races I’ve seen in a long time in taking the Grade II Eviscerator Stakes in the featured 15th race in New York on Saturday. Toy Maker broke out to a narrow lead with 10/1 shot Sadleberry T just a head behind him at the first call, and the only filly in the race, Pleistocene Epoch right behind. Morning line favorite Laconia Light was stalking midpack, in 6th, but only a couple of lengths off the tightly bunched group.
About halfway through the mile and an eighth race it was the same set of leaders, with just 1 1/4 lengths separating the first three horses, and Laconia Light still setting comfortably in sixth, but just 3 1/2 back. Right about then, Laconia Light made his move and started passing horses, but still not able to get any closer to the top trio. Down the stretch they came, with the remarkable filly Pleistocene Epoch staying a length off the flying Toy Maker. By this time, Sadleberry T was gassed and spit the bit out, fading to a well-beaten 9th. While confirmed closers Kissin Cousin II, Sinanju, and Titan Moon were all passing tired horses in the stretch, Toy Maker and Pleistocene Epoch were matching stride for stride, and Laconia Light, now firmly in third, couldn’t quite find that last passing gear.
In a last-ditched effort, Pleistocene Epoch lunged forward but couldn’t quite catch the big-hearted Toy Maker at the wire. “Ten more feet of racetrack in front of us and we’d have caught him”, Pleistocene’s jockey CJ Anderson good-naturedly moaned after the race. “But that one (Toy Maker) had the heart and will to hold us off. He’s a good one, but (The Pleistocene Epoch connections) have nothing to be ashamed of. It was a great race.”
Toy Maker paid $14.50 to win and the exacta was a very nice $200.40. The win moved Toy Maker up to the #10 ranking in classic distance on the dirt for older horses.