Secret King Breaks Maiden in Coolmore Lexington
Who needs MSW’s anyway?
Coolmore Lexington (Grade 3)- $250.000 Purse
KEE- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
April 11, 2015
Secret King came into the Grade 3 Coolmore Lexington having never won a race. In four tries to break his maiden, he had only hit the board once. However, those races proved to be too short for him. For the last three and a half months, Riggins Racing kept him on the farm, and this proved to be very beneficial. The Zariba Ruler colt began whipping out some amazing one mile work times, and there was no denying that he had the ability to win this race. It just did not seem as though he was ready for this. Well, this is why we actually hold the race, and do not just run it in the past performances! Cape Canaveral was just to his inside in the starting gate. The Sanny Village trained entry had seen his fix of graded stakes, but he did not seem too impressive in his last run, the Grade 3 Gotham at AQU. Though the betting public seemed far more willing to forgive that then I was. This was a chance to prove himself to those that were doubting.
Secret King and Cape Canaveral did indeed take very differing paths to this race. But in the end, there could be no separating them. The 2015 Edition of the Coolmore Lexington will go down as a dead heat, and for Riggins Racing, it is his second straight win in this race. It is the first such win for Sanny Village. P Lopez (Secret King) and G Stevens (Cape Canaveral) were the winning jockeys. The race winning time was 1:41.89. Congrats to all the connections!
1st- 4- Cape Canaveral (7/2)- Might have had some desire early to get up there and run with Lucky Spaniard, but it didnt take G Stevens long to realize Cape Canaveral would be better served just letting Lucky Spaniard go, and he dropped back to the rest of the back. Saw himself running beside Secret King over the early backstretch run. Unfortunately, he may have decided to back off of his co-winner a little too much at this stage of the race. In the stretch, Cape Canaveral looked strong, but it became clear that he may be about to regret letting Secret King get away from in this backstretch. He would get by Lucky Spaniard, and hold off Greek Poets outside move, but also had to reel in Secret King. Cape Canaveral was far more impressive here, and did well to get up and force the dead heat. Congratulations!
1st- 5- Secret King (12/1)- Initially last out of the gate for Riggins Racing, but jockey P Lopez did well to see how the race was developing early with Lucky Spaniard pulling away, and moved his horse up to the second position along the backstretch, but still about 5 to 6 lengths off the lead. Ran with Secret King for a little while, and the turning point seemed to be at about four to five furlongs still to go when Lopez realized it was time, perhaps not to try and chase down the pacesetter, but to put some distance on everyone else. Reeled in Lucky Spaniard in the stretch, and could hear the hoofsteps on both of his inside and outside of his challengers. P Lopez did really well to make sure his horse that had never won before would have a winning nose for the wire today, and they would get the job done! Congratulations!
3rd- 3- Greek Poet (4/1)- Got off to an average start for Barcelona Farms, content to ride in the middle of the pack, stalking the eventual co-winners while everyone let Lucky Spaniard do his own thing. At the top of the stretch, R A Baze made a wide move with his colt, and Greek Poet made a strong effort, but comes up a little short. This valiant effort may leave Barcelona Farms wondering what might have been if Greek Poet did not have to be about four to five wide in the stretch. Thought they would need a race, and now they got it. Be on the lookout for him in his next start.
4th- 2- Mameluke (9/2)- Not the greatest of starts for the Mm Racing entry, and quickly found himself trailing the field. He was giving about 8 lengths to our leader, but probably more importantly, spotting about 3 to Secret King and Cape Canaveral. Exiting the turn, it looked like he may be preparing a great charge for the win, but he ended up being top wide, and with the rest of the field also having saved ground, Mameluke could not do much in the stretch. After the race, Mm Racing had one thing on his mind, and this colt is now a gelding.
5th- 1- Somersby (7/5)- The betting favorite for Cedar Road did not get off to a great start, and found himself near the back of the field early, and would be last once Mameluke decided to get it going. By the time E Prado got him moving, the rest of the pack he was running with had already begun their advancement, and subsequently, Somersby would be the final horse to pass Lucky Spaniard.
6th- 6- Lucky Spaniard (12/1)- Started well out of the gate. Check that. Started extremely well, and probably too well, opening up a huge lead early, leading us to wonder if trainer Nakamura Stables was screaming from the grandstand to slow her down off a 6 length uncontested lead. The opening quarter went in :23.78, and the half in :47 3/5. During the turn, and at the top of the stretch, it became very evident that a bunch of them were about to go on by, and in the end, all of them would.
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