San Carlos Stakes (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
SA- For Three Year Olds and Upward
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
March 9, 2019
Di Farley won the BC Dirt Mile four months ago, so on that basis alone, he should’ve been one of the favorites, but it was tough to overlook the fact that he was unable to win a five horse optional claimer last month. It would be a race without a strong favorite, and in the end, Di Farley went off as the third choice on the board, with odds of 5/1. The favorite was last year’s San Carlos winner, Saturday Khartoum. While that one fared well, this race would be about Di Farley getting back on the winning track and hoping this leads to much more over the course of the year. Gdp Inc is the winning trainer, and R Bejarano is the winning jockey, both of whom are first time winners of this stake. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:21.45. Let’s take a look!
(1/4 Mile- :22.93)- The race begins with Saturday Khartoum, from Rousee, and Handsome, from D J C Racing Stables having a good battle between themselves for the race lead, while Glorious also breaks well out of the gate for Spankys Barn, and joins them in front. Soon enough, they get some additional company, as Audioslave, from Alydar Stables, joins the lead group. Stalking these four were a threesome running side by side, and on the outside here was the eventual race winner, Di Farley, for Gdp Inc. He had Nice Dive (Threshold) and Crop Duster (Mb Stables), right to his inside. Out On A Limb, who was our pick to win, is next in the running order for Estero Farms. Cheapsnake (John Henry) and Freak Storm (Mo Mentum Farm) run next, and at the back, its It’s a Laugher (Aer Stables) and Along For The Ride (Fractious).
(½ Mile- :45.74)- Saturday Khartoum continues to lead the front pack of four, and he is about a half length ahead of Glorious, who is having a good trip on the rail up to this point. Audioslane and Handsome are running side by side, a length back. It looked like Handsome was going to back off from the frontrunners in the backstretch, and then decided better of it. Meanwhile, Di Farley begins to make his intentions known as the field gets to the top of the turn, as he swings outside to make his move. Crop Duster can keep in his lane, as he right behind Saturday Khartoum, so things were looking bright for him. Nice Dive was looking for running room here as well. The back five had not yet shown much in the way of advancing.
(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- As the field moves into the stretch, Saturday Khartoum continued to lead, and continued to look pretty good. Crop Duster had followed him through the turn, and now had a great chance to move to his inside. Glorious was still running on the rail, but there was enough room for both of them. There was even room for Nice Dive to squeeze in tight to the rail and have the potential for a good clean stretch run, too. Di Farley had a tougher trip, needing to swing out five to six wide before he could hit his best stride. Once there, though, it was pretty clear for him as well. Audioslave was trying to keep pace, but Handsome had enough. Meanwhile, Cheapsnake was becoming one to watch as he exploded with run while approaching the exit of the turn, and seemed to have room to run. Out On A Limb was looking for room, but didn’t seem to have the legs to make a run to the front here. Along For The Ride still had four lengths to make up, but he had a fair amount of opening in front of him to work his way through the field. It’s a Laugher and Freak Storm looked to be coming up empty.
(Finish- 1:21.45)- Di Farley dug down and found that BC Dirt Mile winning form in the stretch, making that lane work and pulling past a game Saturday Khartoum in the stretch to win the race by a narrow margin. Crop Duster also ran gamely in the stretch, and got by Saturday Khartoum to take second. Cheapsnake’s valiant effort to close gets him fourth and wishing he had maybe another quarter of a furlong. Along For The Ride had a good run as well and was up for fifth, one spot ahead of Out On A Limb, and ended up with a very wide trip in the stretch. Glorious and Audioslave fell to seventh and eighth, and Nice Dive lacked stretch response to be ninth. It’s A Laugher, Handsome, and Freak Storm complete the running order.
About The Winner- Di Farley, trained by Gdp Inc, and ridden to victory by R Bejarano, is a four year old gelding by Di Medici, and is out of Better Charleigh. He was bred in New York by Gdp Inc as a third quarter two year old, and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his seven in 18 starts, his fourth stake win, and third graded win. His career earnings are now $1,173.900.
Track: Fast
Time: :224 :453 1:091 1:212
$2 Mutuel Prices:
$1 Exacta: 3 – 2 Paid 33.40
$1 Trifecta: 3 – 2 – 7 Paid 174.50
Scratched: None
— NS
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
