Longshot an Absolute Peach in Cobbler

With only a single listed stakes win – at a dissimilar distance in a four-horse field, no less – to his credit, four year-old Columbia Valley seemed a most unlikely upsetter of the G1 Cobbler Mile in sunny Southern California on Saturday.  In the stretch, he ran by winners of over $5,000,000 collectively, looking like a world beater.

Conditioned by super4, and ridden to victory by L. Jones, the son of Dynaformer out of stakes-winning mare Williamette Valley (Seeking the Gold) broke from the #7 post in the eight horse field and rated kindly in the back of the pack as speedball Yesterday’s Gone (Gone West) enjoyed an uncontested lead.  When that colt passed the half-mile pole with a nearly a five length lead, it appeared that the race was over.  But Yesterday’s Gone shortened stride in the stretch – perhaps having gotten away from rider S. Ball early in the race – and two disregarded closers, Columbia Valley and Dream Deferred (Western Winter), closed in.  At the wire, it was Columbia Valley ($26.90) who got up by a neck.   Dream Deferred completed a $253.90 exacta; Yesterday’s Gone held on for third. 

Much of the pre-race focus was on divisional stars Dooty Da Doo and Silent and Smooth, but the showdown between these two turned out to be a disappointment.  While the two were handled with one eye on the other, both came up empty in the lane and could not get to front-running Yesterday’s Gone, nor hold off the closing kick of the top two.

The victory was Columbia Valley’s seventh in 25 starts.  The winner’s share of the $300,000 purse increased his career earnings to $381,206.  His speed figure of 110 was a career best.