The Peter Pan (Grade 3)- $200.000 Purse
BEL- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
May 13, 2023

Held between the KYD and the PRK, the Peter Pan is a great opportunity for three-year-olds to put their name either on, or back on the radar as being one of the better horses in the division. More than likely, you can count on its winner returning here at the beginning of June for the BEL, and perhaps continuing to run in the elite races of the summer. The 2023 edition saw Mb Stables saddle up three strong contenders, but it would be an up and comer stealing the show. Lossupra is not a name many of us recognized heading into this race, but he had been very successful where he had run before. He was not one of our picks here, because he had to prove himself at this level, and against this quality of competition. Well, it’s safe to say that he has done that, and now with this win we can also look at his impressive clip of having won five of six races in much higher regard. Trainer Kingelleinc applauded the ride of P Lopez and has already proclaimed that we will be seeing him in the BEL as well we should. For Kingellieinc, first of all, it is good to see him back and winning a race like this. It is the first win for both the trainer and the jockey in this race. Congratulations to them! The time of the win, on the track listed only as good, was 1:49.90. That beats the 2021 version by .01, which was also on a good surface. Let’s take a look at it!

(1/2 Mile- :47.60)- Longshot Centennal Hall breaks the quickest out of the gate, and the D J C Racing Stables entry leads the field down the backstretch. He will run between two other horses who are a half-length behind him. To his outside, More Twist, a horse Team 7 Illusions got $450.000 for, is second for Mb Stables, and on the rail, we have Duster, for Nakamura Stables. Stalking the pace is a horse that Team 7 Illusions let get away for $446.800 less than More Twist, and that would be the eventual winner of the race, Lossupra, who now runs in the silks of Kingelleinc. At The Gates is within a length of him on the rail, and Brother Bear runs on the outside of this group for Rampage Stable. Next in line and by himself, it’s Ein Gedi (Iolaus Racing), and at the back of the pack, we have Energizer Party (Mb Stables), Everythings Fine (TwinTowersRacing), and Racket Cat (Alydar Stables).

(3/4 Mile- 1:12.09)- Around the turn we go, and Centennal Hall continues to run well, and now leads by a full length over the second place More Twist. Duster has not been able to keep up with them and begins to drop back a bit. Moving into the third position will be Lossupra, and he will have a clear lane for the turn and then, eventually, for the stretch. At The Gates is staying right there with him but may have to maneuver a little more traffic if things keep looking as they are right now. Brother Bear is a length behind them in the fourth lane. Ein Gedi is next, still running by himself, with Energizer Party, Everythings Fine, and Racket Cat not yet making a move.

(Top of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- We enter the stretch run with a 48/1 longshot, Centennal Hall, still looking very good on the front end. He’s winning the battle with More Twist, as that one starts to show some signs of fatigue. For Lossupra, nothing changed with the lane that was right in front of him, and he uses it on exit of the turn to pull up alongside of his onetime stablemate. He’s not officially second yet, but that is looming, and he is about a length behind Centennal Hall. At The Gates had been doing a good job keeping up with him, but now he is a full length behind him (remember that). Brother Bear is running well on the outside still and cannot be overlooked. Duster is trying to hang in there and Ein Gedi now looks at his options for advancement. The others still were not showing much.

(Finish- 1:49.90)- In the stretch, the pacesetter, Centennal Hall, is showing plenty of life, but he is not going to quite have enough for Lossupra. That said, he is making him earn it and the two have a good battle in the closing moments of the race. In the end, prevailing in this entertaining finish, it would be Lossupra winning by a neck. Centennal Hall gamely finishes second by a neck over At The Gates at the wire. Remember that length that Lossupra subtly gained on At The Gates during the second half of the turn after they have been almost side by side for the entire race? That proved to be critical. Brother Bear was within a half-length of the win himself, which is impressive considering his outside trip in the turn. All four of these finishers should be satisfied with their effort. After them, Ein Gedi is the best of the rest in fifth and running in centerfield for the stretch. Then it’s Energizer Party, who got by his lethargic stablemate, More Twist, in the final moments. More Twist, I think I’m going to stop praising you so much now. But if anyone can get him figured out and turned back around, he’s in a good spot. Everything Fine and Racket Cat seemingly did nothing all day, other than to pass the tiring Duster.

About The Winner- Lossupra, trained by Kingellinc and ridden to victory by P Lopez, is a three-year-old gelding by Supercomplication, and is out of Lost Quarter. He was bred in Kentucky by Team 7 Illusions as a second quarter two-year-old and was picked up by Kingellinc in November of last year for a mere $3.200 in a claimer. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his fifth in the six starts, and his career earnings are now $200.240.

Track: Good
Time: :47³  1:12   1:37¹  1:49⁴

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 6 – 7 Paid 425.40
$1 Trifecta: 6 – 7 – 1 Paid 1,426.40

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES