Cinema Stakes ($100.000 Purse)
SA- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
May 23, 2021

Based on their resumes heading into the Cinema Stakes, none of the five horses in the race would be granted a starring role in higher profile races, but you have to start somewhere. For eventual winner Broad Brush, that stepping stone to bigger and better things would happen here in the Cinema Stakes. This victory completed the weekend sweep of races that I cover for Mb Stables. That might not be the Triple Crown, it’s maybe that gets the ball rolling towards that in a couple weeks for him as well. It marks the first time that Mb has won the Cinema Stakes, something that is also true for jockey Ru Gonzalez. Congratulations to them! The race was run in a time of 1:45.51, making it the quickest of the five editions of the stake thus far. Let’s take a look at it!

(½ Mile- :47.30)- Hey Bud jumps out to the early lead for Rampage Stable, and he has an early running companion to his outside in the form of Decimated, from South Shore Stables. These two run side by side down the frontstretch for the first time, and into the opening turn. Right behind them, our eventual winner, Broad Brush, runs along the rail in the third position for Mb Stables, and to his outside is the post time favorite, Sevens Vd, out of La Canada Racehorses. Following them, there is a considerable gap, of about four lengths or so, to the trailer, Robeth-trained Elusive Quality.

(¾ Mile- 1:10.56)- There is no change at the front as we head down the backstretch, with Hey Bud and Decimated leading the way. Hey Bud has a half length advantage here. Broad Brush was looking for some room to come between them late in the backstretch, but that was not there. Decimated backed into him a little bit, briefly hindering him. This did not affect Sevens Vb, however, as that one moved into the money lane for the final turn. Elusive Quality is in no mans land at this point.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.7F To Go)- Along the outside, Sevens Vb runs well and overtakes both Hey Bud and Decimated, putting himself in great position for the stretch run. For Broad Brush, patience would pay off, as approaching the exit of the turn, there was just enough daylight along the rail for him to sneak through. He would have to make up a half a length on Sevens Vb, but it seemed as though we would have the showdown between these two as was anticipated in the preview. Elusive Quality still had not made an iota of progress.

(Finish- 1:45.51)- Early on in the stretch, Broad Brush and Sevens Vb looked like they would be neck and neck all the way to the wire, but in the final furlong or so, Broad Brush had an additional gear that Sevens Vb would not have. This allowed Broad Brush to pull away from that one as well, and he goes on to win by a length. There would end up being quite a gap to the rest of the field, a three length cushion to Hey Bud, and another to Decimated. Elusive Quality was a spectator throughout.

About The Winner- Broad Brush, trained by Mb Stables and ridden to victory by Ru Gonzalez, is a three year old gelding by the late Serious Cobra, and is out of the late Funky Lady. He was bred in California as a second quarter two year old by Two Hearts One Love, and acquired by Mb Stables when he was still unraced, in late May 2020 for $75.000. The win is his third in seven starts, and his first stake win. His career earnings are now $121.300.

Track: Firm
Time: :47¹  1:10²  1:34   1:45²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 4 Paid 4.50
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 4 – 3 Paid 7.30

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded