Favorite shines in Mario’s Logs Challenge

Exclusive Habitat(ENG) proved why he was the race favorite, notching an impressive two and a half length victory in this week’s Mario’s Logs Challenge. The four year old Sakhee colt posted a 108.1 speed figure, and was four tenths of a second off the track record, set in this same race last year. This is the tenth stakes win for the young colt, and his twelfth career victory in his twenty two career starts. He passed another milestone with this win, as well, becoming a two million dollar earner, now at the $2,000,055 mark after this race. He also inched himself just a bit closer to that top ranking in the Turf Classic Division, moving from a number 6 to a number 5 ranking in this competitive division. It wasn’t complete disappointment at the betting windows either, this week, with the winner paying $7.80 $3.80 $2.90 across the boards. Exotic payouts were modest, but we’ve seen a lot worse, with the exacta paying $31.80 and the trifecta rolling out a $104.20 payout.

Gotta Go Go got out in front of the pack early, shrugging off any early challenge to sit on a two length lead at the first call. Town Prince(KY) and Exclusive Habitat(ENG) settled in behind, and Gotta Go Go only extended his lead by another three quarters as they reach the half. Running into the second half though, that cushion rapidly disappeared, as Exclusive Habitat(ENG) kicked in the afterburners. By third call, he had nosed ahead of the flagging leader, and they had a sold five and a half lengths on the nearest threat behind them. Exclusive Habitat(ENG) just cruised down the stretch, holding off the closers Shouldn’t Matter(IRE) and Dassault(KY) to cross the wire first, still carrying a two and a half length cushion. Shouldn’t Matter(IRE) took second place, with second favorite Dassault(KY) settling for third, three and a half out at the wire.