Movieland Futurity Ends in Exciting Finish
Many two-year-olds made their final trip to the track for this racing season this past weekend in the Movieland Futurity (G1) here in California. The mile and one sixteenth dirt race drew a full field on Saturday headlined by the post-time favorite of Ultimate Diamond owned by korn. Race day was perfect with cool weather and clear skies as the field of fourteen made their way down to the dirt oval for the post parade that would lead up to the much awaited Movieland Futurity (G1).
The field of seasoned two-year-olds loaded professionally into the starting gate, awaiting the moment when they would dash out of the gates and onto the track. When the fourteen colts finally rocketed out onto the track, rrlogan’s colt Morty’s Clantati took an early lead of one-fourth of a length over race favorite Ultimate Diamond. Morty’s Clantati was hugging the rail tightly early on in the race, going for the lead by a narrow margin despite his usual running style of sitting just off the pace. Ultimate Diamond, the only filly in Saturday’s race, was running as expected of her early on, right on the pace with Morty’s Clantati. A length off the pace of the leader was Taptrical Ted, owned by youngnhung. The flashy light gray colt, an experienced winner of two stakes races, was running solidly early on and looking in perfect position. Farther back in fourth and fifth were Reginald Dwight and Activity Celebre (IRE), trained and owned by donmar and hebbe respectively. The latter was running as expected early on in the race, though Reginald Dwight, who was expected to possibly be rated further back early on, ended up going towards the speed end of the pack. Trailing the field early on out of the starting gates was pazprayer’s colt, Desperate Prayer (AUS) who was running eight and one-fourth lengths off the pace of Morty’s Clantati at the back of the field as expected.
Pushing on Morty’s Clantati continued to hold the lead by only by the barest margin of a head over Ultimate Diamond who was pushing the pace here early on in the race. Taptrical Ted still held on tightly to the third position towards the middle of the track with Reginald Dwight in fourth and Activity Celebre (IRE) in fifth. Beginning to move up now towards the inside was megaman42’s Seebiscuit. The colt didn’t get quite the start he was looking for out of the gate but was running well now in the early stages of the race. Falling back under Seebiscuit’s early rally was Eyedominator (IRE), trained by marmac. Still trailing the field at this point was Desperate Prayer (AUS).
At the midway point of the mile and one sixteenth race Morty’s Clantati had surrendered his lead and was now dropping back in third still hugging the inside rail. Ultimate Diamond, the filly who had been pushing the pace early on had surged ahead but she too found herself quickly behind another hose as Taptrical Ted shot by on the outside to take the lead by half a length as they strove towards the turn before going into the stretch. Roaring from the far outside in an early move on the pack was Distorted Dragon, owned by reacher, who had been sitting back conserving power in ninth in order to pull just this move he was now making on the field. Reginald Dwight was starting to drop back now on the extreme outside of horses, the pressure of going multiple horses wide taking its toll. Seebiscuit was steady in sixth. Wistful3’s Never Quit (IRE) wasn’t going to give up now as he made a move towards the middle of the field and went from tenth to seventh. Eight lengths off the pace and fading fast was Activity Celebre (IRE) with Eyedominator (IRE) struggling in ninth. Starting to make a slight move on the outside was Emperor’s Image, owned by mucha, who started out further back in the field than was initially expected. Nicanor’s Roho (JPN) was in eleventh with graywolf’s Scat Brush in twelfth. Slipping back into thirteenth position late in the race as the field made their way towards the stretch was Ninja Silence, owned by peeps7. Still trailing the field as the pack entered the stretch was Desperate Prayer (AUS).
The horse had entered the stretch now, the final legs of the Movieland Futurity (G1) were at hand as Taptrical Ted continued to lead the lone filly, Ultimate Diamond by half a length down the stretch. However, looming impressively and running like a rocket towards the two dueling horses was Distorted Dragon. The horses dug in to the fast dirt to give all their effort into the race. The two colts easily put away the filly Ultimate Diamond, leaving her in their dust. Now it came down to Taptrical Ted and Distorted Dragon. Both horses were lengthening their stride, neither one wanting to give an inch. However, despite gaining ground in the final furlongs over Ultimate Diamond, Taptrical Ted was denied at the wire, defeated by one and one-half lengths by Distorted Dragon and jockey F. Gosset. The duo won the Movieland Futurity (G1) in 1:42 3/5, just a second over the stakes record set in 2002. Taptrical Ted finished a game second with Ultimate Diamond in third.
Also Rans: Never Quit (IRE), Emperors Image, Seebiscuit, Scat Brush, Reginald Dwight, Morty’s Clantati, Ninja Silence, Roho (JPN), Eyedominator (IRE), Activity Celebre (IRE), and Desperate Prayer (AUS).
Congratulations to reacher of Given Stables for your win with Distorted Dragon in the Movieland Futurity (G1) this past weekend. This is tellnotale signing off.