Young flash takes GET N HIGH Challenge
Disrepute(KY)’s already bright future got a little brighter on Saturday as the two-year-old colt ripped off his second straight stakes win, taking the 8-furlong GET N HIGH Challenge and $30K of the $50,000 purse.
The slight favorite, Disrepute ran just as he wanted to, stalking at a comfortable pace before turning it on at the half-mile mark and holding on for the victory in 1:37 3/5 with a speed rating of 81 on the firm turf course in
Dixiedotco’s Solo Act(KY) broke well and went straight to the lead, as expected. Despite the overall slow pace, Solo Act’s inexperience at the longer distance proved problematic as the chestnut colt faded. Despite having a two-length advantage at the half-mile mark, Disrepute overtook Solo Act shortly thereafter and broke out to a large lead.
Meanwhile, Dark Mage(KY) and War Surge(NY) immediately dropped to the back out of the gate, while Diktionary(JPN) and the long-shot Point Down(KY) settled in the middle, right behind Disrepute. As the eventual winner fired off at four furlongs, Diktionary, Dark Mage and War Surge all followed in his path. Point Down never made a move, and slid to the back. Diktionary’s surge proved short-lived, and he was quickly passed by the on-comers from the rear.
A sitting duck up front, there was little Solo Act could do to counteract his challengers. Dark Mage was charging hard on the outside and looked like he could nip Disrepute at the wire, as he was clearly running harder than any other horse in the field. In the end, the favorite could not be unseated, as Dark Mage ran out of room and Disrepute and jock B Coates held on at the wire by 1 ¾ lengths.
“There was never any question in my mind,” Coates said. “He was running smooth out there today, and I knew nobody would catch him.”
War Surge passed the tiring runners along the rail to finish third by a head over Diktionary, but had little for the top two finishers and finished 6 ½ lengths off the pace.
Disrepute, solidifying himself as a strong 2-year-old, paid out $7.10 to win. Dark Mage, ridden by L Buchholtz, showed he may be ready to run even longer and paid out $4.90 to place. War Surge and jockey O Cheesman rounded out the top three, paying $2.60 for show. The field was filled out by, in order of finish, Diktionary, Solo Act and Point Down.