8/1/2020

 10   SAR      The Whitney (GI)   [BC]

     $875.000            4yo&Up               1  1/8m  Dirt            123lbs

I don’t know if anyone has noticed but Tactical can run… never far from the pace in The Whitney (GI), he moved up to take over at the top of the lane and kept them all at bay to win by a length in a final time of 1:472 for the 1 1/8m distance.  The SAR main track was fast for this one, and that final time proved that to be so.  Crack Dab had his four race win streak snapped but ran his eyes out in this one to take second, a neck in front of Splash Mountain in third and the same back to Minutes Hand in fourth.

The field loaded into the starting gate right at the finish line, the flag went up, the gates sprung open and they were off…  Splash Mountain right out of the gate, Greek Consul, Mintmach and For The Boys from the outside, Bombastic Nobility was next, then Crack Dab, Minutes Hand from the rail, So Profound next to that one, then Tactical, Pulpit and Bad Days was the early trailer.

They made their way around the clubhouse turn and onto the backside with six and a half furlongs to run and Greek Consul moved to the front, three wide, Mintmach on his inside and Splash Mountain on the rail, Another length to For The Boys caught four wide, Crack Dab on his inside, Minutes hand up the rail, and Bombastic Nobility on his flank.  Tactical just off of that one, then So Profound saving ground, Serengeti Sands between horses, Bad Days from the far outside and Pulpit now trailing, tucked in behind that trio.

Down the backside, the field had a half mile to run as they neared the far turn and Greek Consul continued to show the way by a length and a half.  Crack Dab not letting him get away, another length to the trio of Mintmach on the rail, Tactical moving up quickly, three wide, Splash Mountain between that pair, then a gap of two back to Minutes Hand on the inside of Bombastic Nobility, a length back to For The Boys, So Profound to his inside,  Pulpit along the rail, then Bad Days to the outside of the trailer, Serengeti Sands.

Moving around the far turn and to the top of the lane, this race was changing quickly…  Crack Dab up to take the lead by three-quarter’s of a length, Tactical four wide and moving forward with every jump, Splash Mountain trying to push forward, Greek Consul losing ground along the rail, Bombastic Nobility still in the thick of it four wide, Minutes Hand felt the whip between horses with Mintmach to his inside, For The Boys was next, Bad Days widest of all, Pulpit back down towards the rail and Serengeti Sands trailed.

Deep stretch and to the finish, Crack Dab was giving his all, but Tactical was showing his class, moving up closer, and closer and …right on by, and Tactical went under the wire in front by a length.  Crack Dab continued on well for the place with Splash Mountain a neck back in third.  Minutes Hand closed well to nab the fourth spot, For The Boys in fifth, Pulpit sixth, Bad Days seventh, Bombastic Nobility eighth, So Profound ninth, Serengeti Sands tenth, Mintmach eleventh and Greek Consul tiring to be last. 

Tactical is a 4yo gray colt by Cherokee Sunset – Unnatural, by Natural Drummer, and he was bred in Cal by Team 7 Illusions.  Now owned by Mb Stables, nabbed from a $75.000 claimer back in Oct of ’18, this monster now shows nine wins from sixteen starts, earnings of $3,529.010, and he now has four graded wins on the season… three of those of the GI variety.  I think you look for him at KEE this fall, with a few more wins before then.

$2 Mutuel Prices: 

Track: Fast             Time: :46   1:09³  1:34⁴  1:47²
$1 Exacta: 11 – 7 Paid 95.30           $1 Trifecta: 11 – 7 – 6 Paid 1,507.00
Scratched: None

Tactical broke alertly, allowed to settle just off of the pace, moved up into contention as the entered the lane, took over at the furlong marker, won driving.  Crack Dab away to track the early pace into the lane, up to take the lead into the lane, headed at the furlong maker, game effort while unable to go with the winner.  Splash Mountain away quickly, tracked the pace, loomed into the lane, flattened out late.  Minutes Hand mid-pack while saving ground, some late action.  For The Boys rated back early while patient, evenly late.  Pulpit lacked early speed, some late gain.  Bad Days rated back off of the pace, gained position into the far turn, evenly from there.  Bombastic Nobility rated, moved up through the far turn, tired.  So Profound was outrun.  Serengeti Sands trailed early, never involved.  Mintmach up close to the far turn, tired.  Greek Counsul broke well, set the pace to the top of the lane, stopped. 

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES