Big Race Recap 3210
Atuan, Love Never Dies, Paycheck, Buda for a Day, Kneel Before Zod and Rural Law all etch their names in history as the winners of some of the biggest three year old races the sim has to offer. Also the older ladies race was won by Tree Spirit who was a bit of a surprise. Also Ab Fab keeps his winning streak alive taking the Gary Carter.
Race: 3210.0315
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one quarter on the Dirt
In what was the closest finish in
Henianlauch jumped from the gates and got clear early establishing a near two length lead on the field. There was a murmur amongst the crowd as Henianlauch continued to go unchallenged in the early stages. Henianlauch appeared to be in a great position to steal the race as he raced away at the top of the stretch with a two and a quarter length lead.
Passing Stone was ridden confidently just off the pace in third more than three lengths off the early pace. At the half way point he started to reel in the front running Henianlauch but at the top of the stretch he was still two lengths back.
Atuan was getting a great inside trip saving ground on the first turn. He really picked up the pace after sitting thirteenth early on eleven lengths off the early pace and then moved to fifth although still more than eight lengths back.
Into the stretch Henianlauch was tiring but stubborn, Passing Stone was gaining ground with each stride and Ataun had turned on the jets and was closing fast. A few yards from the wire Passing Stone finally managed to get his head in front of Henianlauch and in the next step Atuan nailed them both on the wire in a fantastic finish.
Race: 3210.0314
Track:
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one eighth on the Dirt
Love Never Dies scores the upset in the Oaks for Toplight. The Toplight stables are no stranger to good horses already having one Hall of Famer in Cecil Roo. Love Never Dies went off at twenty-two to one despite running well against the boys in two straight races before the Oaks. She sat eighth in the early stages but not far off the early pace only about four lengths back. She picked things up around the turn for home and was just a length behind the pace setter at the top of the stretch. By mid stretch she had gotten to the front and was all out late to hold off the fast closing All the Riches by a half length at the wire.
All the Riches was one of the favorites after running very well all winter and spring. She was not too far from the early pace only about eight and a half lengths back however she was at the back of the pack in seventeenth position. She had to maneuver through traffic and was in ninth at the top of the stretch when she finally got clear. From there she exploded down the stretch almost catching Love Never Dies in the late stages only missing by half a length.
Zarallana had a stalking trip from fifth in the early stages. She was still in contention at the top of the stretch but had lost position during the final turn and into the stretch. She straightened in the run through the stretch getting by the failing pace horses but not doing enough to catch the winner. She was passed in deep stretch by All the Riches but held third from the fast closing Kathrineofaragorn.
Race: 3210.4914 The 2000
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: One mile on the Turf
Lifeforce got away in the lead as expected however it was Paycheck that took advantage of the soft pace pulling out the length and a quarter victory over a deep
The Fast Layne was one of the favorites in the race. He took his place near the back of the pack twelve lengths off the early pace. He did not make a bunch of head way around the turn for home still more than eight lengths back at the top of the stretch. He geared up in the stretch picking up a bunch of ground but he could not catch with winner settling for second.
Mambo Wildcat ran a good race but he may have still been feeling the effects of his previous efforts in the Sydney Derby. He was in his normal stalking position in the early stages sitting fifth about five lengths off the early pace. He moved into contention at the top of the stretch but instead of being on the lead or a length off he was still three lengths back. He continued to make up ground through the stretch until the late stages getting caught by The Fast Layne for second. Mambo Wildcat finished up third a length and three quarters behind the winner.
Race: 3210.4915 The 1000
Track:
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: One mile on the Turf
Buda for a Day showed vast improvement running a huge race taking the 1000
The Edge was near the back of the pack early but only sitting six and three quarter lengths off the early pace. She kicked into gear around the turn for home and at the top of the stretch she had managed to get into fifth position but was still five lengths off of Buda for a Day. That just proved to be too much ground for The Edge to make up as she managed to cut into the lead finishing second a length and a quarter back.
The Kings Hunter stalked the pace from fourth position in the early stages. Around the turn for home she managed to keep pace with Buda for a Day. Into the stretch it was obvious she was not gaining ground but she was passing the failing speed through the stretch to finish third five lengths behind the winner.
Race: 3210.5314
Track:
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one half on the Turf
Kneel Before Zod was one of the co favorites and she proved why. There might have been some doubt about Kneel Before Zod getting the distance. It appears the cut back in distance might have been just what the doctored ordered. She appeared to have more zip in her kick this week. She was dead last early but passed a couple of runners before the half way point of the race where she was fourteen lengths off the early pace. She made steady progress from there sitting in eight place nine lengths off the pace at the top of the stretch. That is when she unleashed her closing kick as she mowed them all down pulling away late to win by two and a half lengths.
The Deuce had a nice trip. She stalked the early pace from fourth and was not far off the lead at any point. She had assumed the lead on the backside and had pulled away from the field by two and a quarter lengths entering the stretch. She looked poised for victory at that point but she ended up becoming a victim of Kneel Before Zod losing the lead in deep stretch having to settle for second.
Hurricane Occy stalked with The Deuce early on and was third at the top of the stretch but it was all she could do to hold third while losing ground through the stretch. She finished third but was nine and a quarter lengths behind the winner.
Race: 3210.5313
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old
Distance: A mile and one half on the Turf
Rural Law scores the upset at sixteen to one. He was the second longest shot in the field showing big improvement with the added distance. Rural Law was tenth in the early stages of this race more than ten lengths off the early pace. He moved into contention around the turn for home sitting fifth only six and a half lengths back. From there he found another gear and ran them all down pulling away to a three length win.
Exclusive Habitat set the pace in this race. He was pushed a little in the early stages but managed to edge clear after that. He was ahead by almost two lengths at the half way point and carried a four and a half length lead into the stretch. He threw on the breaks in the stretch slowing down getting run down by the winner finishing second three lengths behind the winner.
Alt Universe stalked the early pace in the race from fifth position. He never really threatened the top two and was losing ground before the runners entered the stretch. He was steady in the stretch finishing nine lengths behind the winner.
Race: 3210.5513 Virgin Mary Stakes – Grade I – $500,000
Track:
Restrictions: Fillies and mares, 4 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one quarter on the Turf
Tree Spirit fired off the layoff after a horrible performance last time out to score a quarter length win over Norse Princess. Tree Spirit stalked just off the pace set by Empire Reef in the early stages sitting in second just a length and a half back. She moved forward as they raced around the turn and into the stretch and was only a half length behind Empire Reef. She powered by Empire Reef in the stretch and had to be all out to the wire to hold off the late closing Norse Princess for the narrow win.
Norse Princess was seventh in the early stages near the back of the pack. She found herself almost nine lengths off the early pace and when asked she picked up the pace passing runners and getting into third around the turn for home. She was still six lengths back but full of run. She gained a bunch of ground in the stretch just coming up short at the wire settling for second.
Empire Reef went out and set a tough pace. She edged clear by a length and a half at the half way point and still held a half length lead into the stretch. She was giving up ground grudgingly through the stretch staying on well holding third. She finished only a length and a half behind the winner.
Race: 3210.0415 Gary Carter Handicap – Grade I – $400,000
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: Seven furlongs on the Dirt
Ab Fab was one of the morning line favorites and he ran like the favorite taking the Gary Carter Handicap. Ab Fab was mid pack early sitting in seventh only five lengths off the early pace. From there he picked up the pace moving to third just two lengths off the pace at the top of the stretch. He would continue that momentum in the stretch running down the pace setters to win by a length and a quarter. That is back to back grade one wins for Ab Fab now.
Rexton was in position for the up set at the top of the stretch. Rexton had stalked the early pace from third not too far off the pace only a length and a half back. He moved with authority around the turn assuming the lead by a length at the top of the stretch. It took the great run of Ab Fab to run him down in the stretch but Rexton ran a very good second.