2015 Eclipse- All Ages/All Sexes Dirt Sprint- THE KRAGLE

The All Ages/All Sexes Dirt Sprint is certainly a very broad category and all horses a chance to compete in this category but only one can win. The 2015 award goes to THE KRAGLE, a three year old colt that is a scratch bred. He is sired by War Front with Smart Strike as the DS and Seattle Slew as the DDS.

In 2014, the colt only raced in the latter half of the season winning his first two starts then testing out the listed stakes level where he concluded the year with a season best speed of 92 and finished third.

The 2015 season started off with testing the waters on the turf in an allowance race. He passed the test with a win and 85 speed as the heavy 3-5 favorite. But owner Arazi800 went with the pedigree which favors dirt and brought the horse back to the soil in February.

The Baby Prospector Dirt Challenge, a listed 6f stake race would be the first dirt start of the new year and this colt who has established a desire to run on the lead did just that and never looked back. He wired the field with his first triple digit speed of 104.

In the South Bronx Stakes (G3), THE KRAGLE’s first grade level race, he would not get to the front, and tried hard to maintain his positioning in the third spot but would quickly shuffle back in the field and finish eleventh.

Things would change with a trip into Iowa where the G2 Pea Shooters Handicap was held. Jet to Paris would bang out to the front but THE KRAGLE was running to the inside. Coming through the stretch, THE KRAGLE would cruise by and take the lead and win beat out Jet to Paris by a stride and a half with an impressive 110 speed.

THE KRAGLE would meet up with Jet to Paris in July in the Carry Forward (G2). Neither would get the lead but would mimic their previous start with Jet to Paris slightly ahead of THE KRAGLE. A pair of horse from behind this duo would rally to take the top two spots with THE KRAGLE getting up for third and Jet to Paris fading back to mid-field.

The Vanderbuilt (G2) in New York in August would be the place THE KRAGLE would race against older horses for the first time. He would go off at 18/1 against the more experience boys and took on the battle from the start. He got away in good form and linked up in a dual with three others for the lead. The quartet would remain tightly bunched and would thin out by the half where THE KRAGLE would bring the field to the stretch with the lead. But two others would come running up against him and the trio hit the wire together. THE KRAGLE lost out on the win spot in the photo and was placed second and charted a 107 speed in the event.

Staying with the aged horses and remaining in New York, THE KRAGLE would be entered in his first Grade 1 event, The Iceberg. A bit more respected with odds dropping to 13/1, THE KRAGLE would lay off the lead and let Misapportioned take control of the early fractions. He took clear position of second at the half and mushed to the top spot in the stretch. He drew away from Misapportioned and won the race with a top speed of 114.

The Breeders’ Bowl Sprint brought 13/1 odds once again to THE KRAGLE. In this race, he would run third behind Misapportioned who was looking to amend her loss. THE KRAGLE would run with Finally Ready and they were both ready as they closed ground on the leader to set up a battle through the stretch. Mid way through the stretch they would overtake Misapportioned and fight head-to-head as they hit the wire simultaneously. The Kragle would get the win by a nose in a career best speed of 115.

The Breeders’ Bowl Sprint took a bit out of the champion as he showed some ware in the G1 Doulbe F Memorial at the end of November, finishing in the middle of the field and a diminished speed of 105. But success for the year had already been earned with three grade level wins that also included a second and a third. THE KRAGLE earned more than $2.6 million during the season and easily won the top honors in the sprint class over second place finisher Finally Ready who amassed $1.7 million.

THE KRAGLE is currently taking a well deserved rest. Look forward to another good season in 2016 and congratulations to Arazi800.