Big Race Recap 3217
The morning line favorites took care of business in three of the four grade one races from last week. Ermington Pegasus continued to look super impressive, while Rapid Grey continued his domination at ten furlongs. Credit Given strolled to victory and he looks like the best long, long distance horse in the sim while Mr. Devious pulled off the minor upset in
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Race: 3217.0815
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: A mile and three sixteenths on the Dirt
Ermington Pegasus turned in another sensational performance mastering yet another well accomplished field. You better get on the bandwagon now if you are not already because space is running out! Ermington sat chilling in the early stages about mid pack a little over seven lengths off the early pace. With out asking Ermington moved up around the turn for home getting into second at the top of the stretch just a length off the pace setter. Then in the stretch found that gear, that no other runner in his division can seem to match, powering away to an almost three length victory. The final time tied the Maryland Special Handicap record of
Solar Song ran a very good race and all it got him was runner up. He was ninth in the early stages of the race almost nine and a half lengths from the pace setter. He made a bold move around the turn getting into fourth less than three lengths from the pace setter and only two and three quarter lengths behind Ermington Pegasus. All he could do though in the stretch was match strides with the winner finishing well ahead of the third place finisher while not seriously threatening the winner. He was two and three quarter lengths behind the winner and three and a half ahead of the third place finisher.
Race: 3217.5913 Keg of Guinness- Grade I – $500,000
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 3 years old and up
Distance: A mile and one quarter on the Turf
Rapid Grey keeps his streak alive but this time he really had to push for the win. Rapid Grey has been unbeatable at the mile and a quarter distance. He has really established himself as probably the best going in the sim a this distance on the turf. He took his normal position at the back of the pace falling more than fifteen lengths off the early pace. He made up more than eight lengths from the half way point of the race to the top of the stretch but had only managed to pass a few horses and was still more than seven lengths behind Jumpin Java who had just taken the lead from the pace setter.
Jumpin Java was coming off a near miss with one of the top mile and a half horses. He was toward the back early on but not far off the pace a little more than five lengths. He made his move around the turn into the stretch grabbing the lead at the top of the stretch and started to pull away. There loomed only one danger and that was Rapid Grey gobbling up ground with each stride. The tension was high Java looked like he would get there one second then looked like he would get caught the next second. It took the entire length of the stretch but Rapid Grey was able to deliver Jumpin Java his second heartbreaking defeat in as many starts.
Rosenthal was a runner I mentioned in the preview as having a pretty good shot of running underneath and he did just that. He stalked the early pace from sixth just infront of Jumpin Java. When asked he moved up but not as quickly as Jumpin Java. He was fifth at the top of the stretch and although he lost ground through the stretch he was able to maintain enough pace to pass all his other rivals finishing third seven and three quarter lengths behind the winner.
Race: 3217.5015 Rising Sun Spring Cup – Grade I – $1,000,000
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: Seven furlongs on the Turf
Mr Devious delivers a slight shocker to this very talented turf sprint. This race was full of nothing but really good horses so seeing Mr. Devious in the winner’s circle was not a big surprise but his 114 speed figure was phenomenal. The old craft veteran Digging The Grave set the pace here and it was a quick one. With no one going with him early Digging the Grave opened up by more than four lengths on this field at the half way point. He still maintained an almost three length lead entering the stretch.
Mr Devious mean while stalked patiently from fourth a little over four lengths from Digging the Grave. He picked up the chase around the turn for home closing the gap. Once in the stretch he found that extra gear cruising up to the tiring Digging the Grave and moving by him late to win by a length and a quarter at the wire. Digging the Grave would hold second a length and a half in front of Two Storms.
Two Storms is still looking for his first grade one win. He runs a hell of a race and gets beat by almost three lengths. Two Storms settled off the pace in fifth six lengths off the early pace. He moved up around the turn for home and made a solid stretch run but just could not gain enough ground on the top two to threaten. He would just out duel I Make Stuff Up for third.
Race: 3217.5314 South Australian Cup – Grade I – $400,000
Track:
Restrictions: All horses, 4 years old and up
Distance: Two miles on the Dirt
Credit Given appeared to barely break a sweat on his way to a dominating four length win. He appeared much the best on paper coming into the race and on the track he was the picture of confidence. He would settle near the back of the pack early letting the pace get away a bit sitting more than thirteen lengths off the early pace. He made steady progress from the half way point and although he was more than eight lengths back with three furlongs to go he accelerated eating up the distance and stacking four more lengths onto the pace setter when it was all said and done.
Frozen Four set the pace in this race. He was mildly pressured in the early stages shaking clear a two lengths at the half way point. He carried his lead into the stretch still leading by two and a half lengths. He was visibly tiring in the stretch and had no response for the favorite when he flew by him in the stretch. He would finish four lengths back and remain stubborn enough to hold off Kalija for the place.