Crypto Bounces Back to Win The OP Mile

By Nynl Stables on April 1, 2023

The OP Mile (Grade 3)- $400.000 Purse
OP- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Dirt
April 1, 2023

For the most part in his career, Crypto has been more reliable on the racetrack than cryptocurrency may be as an investment, but in his last race, there was some concern that his value was on the decline. Since being gelded, he had won four out of seven, though would go off at odds of 9/1 likely because of his race in the General George at LRL. Now, we can safely put that behind him, as Crypto rebounds nicely to notch his fifth win in eight starts, as well as his third straight win in races at a mile or over. Crypto is trained by Maxmillion Farm and was ridden to victory by J R Velazquez. For each, it is their first OP Mile win. Congratulations to them! The time of the victory was 1:33.99, which was quicker than the 2022 race. Let’s take a look at how it went down!

(1/4 Mile- :22.45)- Sexy Back is quick out of the gate for Night Rider Stables and opens up a lead of a couple lengths without much difficulty. Behind him, our pick to win, Smokey Stover’s Anna Da Artist runs side by side with the longest shot on the board, D J C Racing Stables owned, Stolen. They’re three wide in the middle of the field, and it is the horse on the outside here, Winning Link Stables’ Pookie which holds a slight edge. Hippyheart’s Pennine Way runs between horses while our eventual winner, Maxmillion Farm’s Crypto is on the rail in the sixth spot. Electile Dysfunction (TwinTowersRacing) and Beach Xaar (Fractious) are next, then Binnington (Riggins Racing). Speter (Nakamura Stables) can see them all in front of him.

(1/2 Mile- :45.66)- Sexy Back maintains his two-length lead while running down the backstretch, but there is possibly a looming challenger coming forward as Pookie makes a push while running three wide. At a half mile, he is a head in front of both Smokey Da Artist and Stolen, each of whom are content to let him go. Also moving forward is Binnington, as he follows Pookie in the lane that was had been in. Pennine Way and Crypto are in the middle of the field still, and not bothered at all with the two that make a push.

(Top of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- Sexy Back is out in front and looking good. Perhaps, he will make this look as easy as Ma Petite Penne did in the Sand Springs. Pookie began to retreat as quickly as he pushed forward, and Binnington could not make his lane stick. This leaves Stolen and Anna Da Artist again as the second and third place horses, and Stolen looks like he might take a run at Sexy Back. Meanwhile, Crypto was looking good in the turn, especially over the second half of it but still had about three lengths to make up. Didn’t see much going on further back in the field.

(Finish- 1:33.99)- In the stretch, Sexy Back is tiring, but still trying to battle the best he can and it looks like he might just hang on. Crypto, however, is advancing quickly, and it looked like Sexy Back was drifting out into him late in the stretch. Viewer wise, these two almost looked like they collided, so the virtual stewards (Yes, I know there are none) probably would have taken a look if Crypto not made the pass, but that would not come into play. Crypto was far too strong and scored almost a full-length win. Sexy Back hangs on for second narrowly over Stolen, with Anna Da Artist taking fourth. Beach Xaar, Penine Way, Speter, Electile Dysfunction, Pookie and Binnington round it out.

About The Winner- Crypto, trained by Maxmillion Farm and ridden to victory by J R Velazquez, is a four-year-old gelding by Tax Reform and is out of Deep Blue Ocean. He was bred in California by Woogaloo as a yearling and was acquired by Maxmillion Farm for $175.000 in a May 2022 private sale. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his seventh in 15 starts, and his fifth stake win, all of which are graded. His career earnings are now $1,029.960.

Horse Name

Owner Name

Jockey

Odds

Fin

Time

SRF

Crypto

Maxmillion Farm

Velazquez J R

9.10

1^3/4