Big Race Recap 2874

Race: 2874.5515 Doomben Cup – Grade I – $500,000
Track: Queensland
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one quarter on the Turf

Egyptian Empire proved up to the task of running down the favorite Rain God. Egyptian Empire got a good trip behind a solid pace. As expected long shot Grimnosh went right to the lead and powered away from the field getting clear early and put all but a couple of other runners more than ten lengths back at the half way point.

Rain God kept watch on the pace setter sitting in second three and a half lengths back while Egyptian Empire was fourth early more then six lengths off the pace. Grimnosh led the field into the stretch but Rain God and Egyptian Empire were moving up quickly. Rain God caught Grimnosh mid stretch but Egyptian Empire cruised by everyone pulling off the slight upset. Egyptian Empire pulled away to win by two and a quarter lengths over Rain God with Grimnosh holding third six and a half lengths back.   

Race: 2874.0114 Ugly Breeders Bowl Distaff – Grade I – $450,000
Track: California
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Turf

The top three betting choices finished on top here with race favorite Cold Storage proving to be much the best today. As expected there was heated contention over the early pace with Empire Reef sticking her head in front of Cold Storage in the early stages of the race. Those two separated them selves from the others quickly along the back stretch and into the final turn.

Cold Storage shook clear of Empire Reef rounding the turn and opened up by a length and a half on Empire Reef. Only Thirteenth Date could mount a challenge and she was storming from almost twelve lengths off the early pace. Cold Storage pulled away in the stretch to win by two lengths over a hard charging Thirteenth Date who closed a ton of ground in the stretch. Empire Reef was third only four and a half lengths behind the winner after the early pace duel.  

Race: 2874.3815 New Hampshire Handicap – Grade I – $600,000
Track: New Hampshire
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Dirt

Call of the Wild II gets back to the winner’s circle and his career earnings go over the nine million mark. It is tough for dirt route horses to maintain such good form longer than a year. Her is Call of the Wild II looking just as good this year as he was last year. The pace here was good and Call of the Wild II found himself behind more horses and a few lengths further back than he usually runs.

Anticosti was the runner that jumped to the early lead firing out to lead the field all along by two lengths. He stretched that to three lengths entering the stretch but Call of the Wild II had moved into contention. In the stretch Anticosti looked tough but eventually wore down in deep stretch as Call of the Wild II collared him.

Call of the Wild II won by two lengths in the end. Long shot Not Bluffing tried to hang with Call of the Wild II following him most of the race and really ran big through the stretch just nailing Anticosti for second on the wire.