No Surprise In Mohammed Ali Stakes

Despite earlier reports, the famed Muhammed Ali was on hand this Saturday to preside over the Grade III Mohammed Ali Stakes. Track security was buzzing early in the morning to get last-minute preparations for the famous boxers last minute announcement that he would attend the race. Twelve colts went to the line in the mile and one eight race over the dirt oval at post time.

In the end it was the pre-race favorite, Sundays Rule (High Yield x A.P. Indy x Sunday Silence) who delivered the knock out punch to win the Mohammed Ali Stakes by one length. The five year old bay horse is proudly owned and trained by doza of the Team Doza Racing Stables. The hose was being ridden that day by M. Ketron out of the eighth hole. The duo broke out of the gate an M. Ketron steadied the big horse back two an three-fourth lengths in second in the early goings of the race. Sundays Rule settled easily early on and maintained that fourth place position throughout the race until he was urged forward in the final turn by M. Ketron and started to make his move on the front runners, delivering his famous finial kick. He had moved up to third in the stretch but really started to pour on the steam in the stretch, running own his opponents and holding off a large charging Triple A Prayer, who finished second by a length to Sundays Rule who sprinted towards the wire and met it first.

Triple A Prayer, (Aldebaran x A.P. Indy x Ack Ack) who finished second is owned by pazbarn of the PazJazz Music City Stables. The colt is out of the race winning am A. P. News who has only one stakes winner in her 2006 foal Triple A Prayer. The four year old colt finished second in favorite Sundays Rule after being urged out of the gate by jockey D. Givens to run just ahead of Sundays Rule in third. The colt was urged forward earlier in the race than the winner, perhaps in hopes of getting the jump on the fast-hitting late closer. The pair dueled briefly at the turn and into the stretch as Triple A Prayer held onto the lead by a nose but with Sundays Rule gaining with ever monstrous stride. Eventually it was Triple A Prayer that faded late and finished second by a length.

Rounding out our on the board finishers was the Irish-bred Nagasaki (IRE) (Giant’s Causeway (IRE) x Fusaichi Pegasus x A.P. Indy), who is owned by casino of the Casino Stables. The four year old chestnut colt broke from gate twelve on the far outside with B. Alt as jockey. He was held the furthest back of the three on the board finishes, when he settled into sixth, four lengths off the pace of the early race leader, Gahdamjo. Nagasaki (IRE) was also urged forward fairly early by B. Alt to make a surprise move on the front runners. He moved forward a position just into fifth and now ran five and three-fourth lengths off the pace of the leader as the field headed into the turn. He held onto this fifth place position until late in the stretch when the was urged forward again by B. Alt. Sundays Rule and Triple A Prayer were above and beyond the rest of the field in this race though, and Nagaski (IRE) settle for third four and a half lengths off the pace of race winner Sunday Rule.

Also rans in the Mohammed Ali Stakes (G3) include: Empty River, Crafty Recycledone, Gahdamjo, Fly For Buda, Barb’s Holly Jolly (CAN), Strike The Red, Wrisky Cat, Cornfield County and Head Start.