Lord of the Cats Serves Notice
After winning the Breeder’s Bowl Sprint, King of the Cats won five of six graded stakes efforts for the aaafarms barn, and by the end of April he needed a break. After a third in the Grade III Cracked Peanut and an impressive win in Saturday’s $150,000 Grade III Middle of Nowhere Sprint, the king has served notice he is well on his way to defending his crown.
As many feared, the early fractions were suicidal for the early runners. Fort Knox Too, Cash Machine, and Flying Like a Jet all went the first half in under 45 seconds and faded to sixth, seventh, and fifth respectively.
King of the Cats and favored Atakachaw sat just behind the three early leaders and passed them just coming out of the turn. Atakachaw gamely fought Val’deMor, but the bastet trainee beat him out for second. Jockey S Green, aboard Val’deMor, claimed he could have caught the leader if he had another furlong.
Galileo’s Gold gave an impressive effort, perhaps running fastest at the end, only to lose the photo for third.
Ruthless Yard and Arod and Nomar were very close at eighth and ninth. Ruthless Yard was closing hard, but passed only tired horses.
Like the Rain ran evenly, and