The GP Turf Sprint- Grade 3 ($100.000 Purse)
GP- For Four Year Olds and Upward
Five Furlongs on the Turf
February 12, 2022
In some ways, Mystery might be named perfectly. The horse is very successful, and has run in some big races, but if you were to try and find the most exciting race that he had ever won, nothing would really stand out. After struggling in a couple of graded races, he did close out 2021 with a pair of wins, and now in the GP Turf Sprint, he would add to that winning streak. This would be his first graded win, so it will fit the bill now as his signature win, but the trainer, Fractious, would love to see him build on that and get something better. For now, Fractious will celebrate his first win in this race, and jockey E J Wilson does the same. Congratulations to them! The time of victory was :56.23, identical to the winning time of 2021. Let’s take a look at it!
(¼ Mile- :22.27)- Four horses vie for the early lead, and running just a little bit quicker than his rivals would be Bomberracing’s Vital Gambit, who holds the outside lane here. Affirmed Authority is second, just to his inside for Asgar, and also being a part of this group is Gdp Inc’s Trippi Bay and Mb Stables- trained Elijah G. There are three stalkers behind them, with Doug (Arindel) on the inside, Rising King (Maxmillion Farm) in the middle, and our eventual winner, Mystery, on the outside for Fractious. Tailing are Shelbags (Lindeman Prairie), The Grandmaster (John Henry), and Free Blast (London Racing).
(Top Of Stretch, 1.4F To Go)- As the field moves around the turn, the front four are all still doing a pretty good job holding their positions, but nearing the exit, Vital Gambit starts to bow out. This put E J Wilson in a bit of a bind with Mystery, because he initially looked like he wanted to move to the inside of Vital Gambit, but quickly altered his path to go five wide. This would be the best decision, and put him in a similar spot that we saw Ms Joyce win from in the fillies equivalent the race prior. Rising King would be hoping to follow Affirmed Authority through and then ultimately pass for the lead in the stretch and Doug looked good but needed running room. Shelbags was a length behind them, needing something to work out before he could make a bid of his own.
(Finish- :56.23)- Affirmed Authority continued to run well in the stretch, but as we got closer to the wire, you could legitimately say there were six of them with a good shot at this. Mystery, given his wide trip, had more work to do than his rivals did and in the final half furlong, he would be able to find that additional push that no one else near him would be able to have. This would carry him on to the victory, winning by a length. In a very tight, four-way photo for second, Affirmed Authority edges out Doug and Rising King, who dead heat for third, and Shelbags who came on for 5th. Elijah G was right with this group too, in 6th. The Grandmaster, Vital Gambit, and Free Blast round it out.
About The Winner- Mystery, trained by Fractious and ridden to victory by E J Wilson, is a five year old gelding by the late Real Fishy and is out of the late Seven Regiments. He was bred in New York as a first quarter two year old by Wolfs Den, and acquired by Fractious, via Allinthegate, for $150.000 in private sales in December 2019. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his ninth in 27 starts, his fourth stake win, and first graded win. His career earnings are now $716.490.
Track: Firm
Time: :221 :443 :561
$2 Mutuel Prices:
$1 Exacta: 7 – 9 Paid 289.00
$1 Trifecta: 7 – 9 – 2 Paid 659.90, 7 – 9 – 5 Paid 220.60
Scratched: None
— NS
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
