The Metropolitan Handicap (Grade 1)- $1,250.000 Purse
BEL- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Dirt
June 11, 2016

Mcl Stables opened operations in May of last year, and began in the modest way that most beginning trainers that may not be able to pour large sums of money into the game will begin.  Several races went by before the trainer could finally visit the winner’s circle, almost a year ago to this day.   There will be no start more memorable, at least not right now, then career start #515.  It is in that start, that a huge milestone has been hit as the trainer scores their first career Grade 1 win, and just their second career graded stake victory.  That win comes in the prestigious Metropolitan Handicap, and its $1,250.000 Handicap!  The milestone is hit with Milestone, who in himself is a good rags to riches story.  Here’s a seven-year old horse who never really raced when he was young.  He raced a few days at two, and then at three, when most are running often, Milestone only made one start.  It would not be until his 8th start, in August of his four-year old season where he would break his maiden.  Then, he would go almost another year before going to the starting gate again!  In July of 2015, Mcl Stables saw him running in a free-track claimer, and picked him up, for $7.500.   With Mcl Stables, Milestone most importantly has been able to simply, race.  That allowed him to show his true abilities, and leading into this race, he became a graded stake winner, taking the Grade 3 Westchester right here at BEL.  That was big, but not like this.  Against some truly great opposition, Milestone rose to the top, and picks up the huge win.   Jockey C P DeCarlo also picked up his first Metropolitan win, doing so in a race time of 1:34.48.  Congratulations to all!  Let’s look more at it!

1st- 4- Milestone (9/1)- The eventual race winner from Mcl Stables would start the race towards the back of the pack, but C P DeCarlo would not keep him there for long, and move him up to join Clouseau and Sqawilther as well as Mass Debatable in a midpack position as they approached the turn.  He would be about four lengths out at this point.  While in the turn, it looked like he might try to follow Secret King through, but instead DeCarlo opted to move him to the outside of Port On The Horizon. When moved to this lane, Milestone responded with a strong burst of run, and it did not take long for him to be matching strides with Port On The Horizon.  This was a pivotal moment of the race, because both Clouseau and Sqawilther, who would finish a close second and third were making moves of their own at the same time.  With a furlong to go, there were eleven horses within two lengths of him as he prepared to pass A One for the lead.  Challenges were coming from both sides, but Milestone was still in full stride and was not going to give in at all.  He pulls it out, in a photo finish over Clouseau to score the milestone win for Mcl Stables! The time of the win again was 1:34.48. Congrats again!  Milestone is a seven year old horse by In The Box and out of Objective Desire (Jolly Be Great). He was bred in Ontario by Team 7 Illusions as a third quarter two year old.  He was acquired in a $7.500 free track claimer when he went off as an also eligible.  Good stuff! Congrats again!

2nd- 1- Clouseau (16/1)– Today’s runner up from Wolfs Den started in the middle of the pack, but actually never seemed to be separated much from Milestone, even in the early moments of the race.  He raced to the winner’s side, about four lengths from the lead midway into the race.  About midway through the turn, he instigated this group of four that were running beside one another to make their outside moves, and all of them looked good as they would exit the turn.  As good as he was in the stretch, there were two that he had been running with that had even wider trips then he did that were a little better.  Clouseau got real close at the end, but Milestone was not going to be denied.  The trainer was able to celebrate their second career Grade 1 win earlier in the race card with Christine in the Just A Game.

3rd- 6- Sqawilther (5/1)– The Australia Wide colt ran in the middle of the pack, running four wide in a group of four that also included Milestone and Clouseau.  Kept running with them for most of the turn, and they all looked to make a move at the same juncture.  For Sqawilther, having the widemost lane of the group would be a hindrance, but he would also explode with run at the top of the stretch.  Although he was not really much wider then Milestone, the extra ground that he had to cover may have kept him from victory.  Australia Wide would have hit a milestone of his own had he won, as it would have been his 100th Grade 1 win.  He still sits at 99 at press time.

4th- 9- A One (3/1)– Though he did not win, the champion from Eastern Equine still seemed to turn in a good effort.  Out of the gate he was in the middle of the pack, but soon moved up to the third position to run with the two Night Rider entries.  Ran with them for most of the turn, and at the top of the stretch, he moved into the lead but they were coming at him strong from behind.  For a brief moment in the stretch, it really looked like A One was digging down and showing that champion instinct that we know he has.  In the end though, he could just not quite hang on.  Was it the weight that made that much of a difference?  The trainer knows best.

5th- 7 (dh)- Stranger (15/1)- The Dawn Invasion gelding put forth a good effort for his trainer as Sanny Village looked to threepeat in this race, however he would finish better then he would start.  Early on, he was near the back.   Stayed there around the turn, and about midway in the stretch, some daylight opened up between Gma Is My Hero and Impending Decision, and he would pounce on it.  He ran very well in the stretch, and simply ran out of time.

5th- 8 (dh)- Port On The Horizon (18/1)- Returning to BEL for the first time since running in the BEL, the D J C Racing Stables gelding would stalk the leaders and seemed to have a great position on the track, right behind A One as they moved into the turn.  Looked to make a move to the outside of him on exit of the turn, and ran well in the stretch.  There was nothing really wrong with his effort, just didn’t get the finishing position in one of those classic HRP jumbo finishes.

7th- 3- Secret King (7/1)- Our Secret King from Mb Stables seemed to start pretty well, and had a good stalking position down the backstretch.  He maintained this position throughout the turn, and while he seemed to be looking for a lane at times, he never really threatened the leaders.  In the stretch, he was steady, but did not have the same gear that others had.

8th- 14- Rock Boat (23/1)- The first Night Rider Stables entry was strong out of the gate and was able to lead down the backstretch while setting the opening quarter in a time of :22.82, and would continue to lead at the half, setting that time in 45 and 4/5. Once passed for the lead in the turn, he tried to hang in there, but could not hold off those who were running full of steam to his outside.

9th- 11- Impending Decision (22/1)- The other Night Rider Stables entry was not shy about following his stablemate on the lead, and would be second to his inside as they moved into the opening turn.  Remained to the inside of his stablemate around the turn, and essentially seemed to be his shadow for the entire race.  They both ran very similar races.

10th- 5- Mass Debatable (22/1)-   Early in the race, the Maverick Racing entry found himself in very good company, running in the middle of the pack with those who would finish in the top three positions.  As they moved around the turn, he would be left behind by the three he had been running with as they all hit the board, and he uneventfully ran to the wire with minimal response.

11th- 10- Smart Strike (62/1)-The longest shot on the board from TwinTowersRacing started towards the back of the pack, 12th overall and about six lengths from the lead at the half mile.  Gradually advanced around the turn, and looked for room in the stretch to make a move, but there was simply nothing there.

12th- 12- West Northwest (17/1)- The entry from Grimley kept Spotted Cat company running at the back of the pack and being well out of it early.  Stayed there most of the way, and did not really seem to make much progress until the stretch run began.  He put together a strong push, but also struggled to find a running lane, and therefore doesn’t pass many.

13th- 13- Spotted Cat (28/1)- Returning to the dirt for the first time since the BC Dirt Mile, Spotted Cat didn’t look good out of the gate.  He is known for coming from behind, but this cat spotted the field about nine lengths early.   With two furlongs to go, he still had seven lengths to make up, and while he started to gain ground in the stretch, it came at a time that was far too late.

14th- 2- Gma Is My Hero (7/1)- Starting better then he would finish, the Aer Stables colt was only two lengths off the lead midway during the backstretch and still seemed to be in striking range as they moved into the turn.  Midway into the race, he would begin to very gradually lose touch with the leaders, and soon everyone else, all the way to the wire.

Track: Fast
Time: :22⁴  :45⁴  1:09²  1:34²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 1 Paid 68.60
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 1 – 6 Paid 1,544.40

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES