‘Mighty’ Closing Kick Takes Bally Honors
Five year-old Mighty Mite Morgan is 1-for-5 lifetime in conditioned claiming races. In graded stakes, he’s 1-for-4. In February 2010, equistable claimed the then-four-year-old son of Rock Hard Ten out of a “nonwinners of one in a year” claiming race for a $2,500 tag (he had once run for $2,000). In that South Dakota race – a ninth consecutive loss for Mighty Mite Morgan – the colt came from dead last to miss by a head at 22-1 odds. Less than sixteen months later, on a beautiful spring day in Ireland, Mighty Mite Morgan ($18.50) used the same late running tactics to complete an amazing rags-to-riches story in the G3 Bally’s Chorus.
As expected, the early pace was spirited. Morning line second choice Explosive Quality was drawn in the #2 post position and jockey M. Russell had little option but to send the Redoute’s Choice five year-old. Cheap speedster Gran Special also flashed early foot, and the two dueled head-and-head for a half mile through spirited fractions of 22.39 and 45.19, opening up four lengths on the rest of the field. ‘Mighty’ settled at the tail of the field at the rail under R. Inch, inside of Vision and Prayer (Dylan Thomas). At the quarter pole, those two were still far back and beginning to pick their way through the field. Racing luck smiled on ‘Mighty,’ who got through at the rail to avoid a wall of horses that was otherwise impeding his path forward, while ‘Vision’ had to angle out a bit wide. With the two dueling front-runners devoid of any further energy, and the horses who raced in mid-pack (Gday Red and War Danseur – who desperately needed to be on the lead – and Critical Pye, who went evenly) lacking any punch, ‘Mighty’ and ‘Vision’ had dead aim on the lead. Mighty Mite Morgan inhaled the brave Explosive Quality outside with about 120 yards to run and held Vision and Prayer safe by 3/4 of a length. It was nearly four more lengths back to Explosive Quality in third.
The speed figure was 114 – a career best for the latest member of the graded winners’ fraternity – on a final time of 81 seconds flat. The exacta paid $126.60; the trifecta $624.
One would expect a few of these to stay on track to try their luck in the G3 Minstrel Sprint at seven furlongs on the grass on July 9.