Wish You Well surprises late in Grade III You Know What Stuart

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — In a shocking but rousing run, Wish You Well pulled of a surprising victory in the Grade III You Know What Stuart on Saturday in New Zealand.

No better than fifth favorite in the field of eight, the 3-year old son of Shamardal (by way of Kingmambo dam Wishin’ Wells) hushed the naysayers with a furious rally from seventh to edge the field in his graded debut over six furlongs on turf. Wish You Well nipped Trouble Bound by a length, while Newbury finished in third.

“I was worried about a little bit of traffic,” winning jockey J Harzheim said, “but when he found that crack of daylight he just exploded through. Once he found the space I knew how badly he wanted it.”

Favorite Watch The Gap landed in fourth.

The victorious Mindblower Stables colt posted a 101 speed figure in winning his first ever graded race. The victory is the third in the row for Wish You Well, dating back to March. It is also the fifth win in the horse’s last six victories.

Newbury looked like a sure winner as he broke from the gates in front and held that advantage into the final stretch. But with Trouble Bound on his hip and the eventual winner charging hard, it was not to be.

Wish You Well appeared comfortable to watch the race unfold, holding in sixth position until beginning to push forward at about three and half furlongs. When the pack in front of him opened up, the winner took advantage, blasting down the stretch.

The runners shared in a $75,000 purse, with Wish You Well breaking the $200,000 career earnings mark with the win.

The race was open to horses three-and-up, with Wish You Well and Newbury the only 3-year-old runners in the field.

Wish You Well paid $18.20 to win. The exacta payout was $82.20 and the trifecta paid $745.80.

The field, in order of finish, was: Wish You Well, Trouble Bound, Newbury, Watch the Gap, Minccrafter, Scooch on Over, Sabili and Paul Gaugin.