The Awad ($150.000 Purse)
AQU- For Two Year Olds
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Inner Turf
October 19, 2024
Asgar entered three for the Awad at AQU, but none of them would end up running. This would include our pick to win, Mind The Dimes, as well as another of our picks, so these scratches were unexpected, especially with firm turf. With them gone, we were left with seven heading to the starting gate. Of our two picks that were still in the race, one of them was Last King, a gelding from Riggins Racing, who ran fifth in the Summer Stakes last month, a result that is better than it looks for a race like this, given the strength of that Grade 1. Last King took care of business here, grabbing his second career win. It’s the first win in this race for both the trainer and for jockey Jo Ruiz. Congratulations to them! The winning race time was 1:40.31, the second quickest of the three editions of the race with identical conditions at the same track. Let’s take a look at it now:
(1/4 Mile- :23.60)- Terra Authority gets off to a quick start, jumping out to an uncontested lead of two lengths for Alydar Stables. After that gap, it’s a three wide group for running for second, with Big Jd Racing’s State Your Business having the upper hand while on the outside of this group. Crypto Star is next on the rail for Maxmillion Farm, with the D J C Racing Stables- trained Dollar Bill running between them. It’s another length to our eventual winner from Riggins Racing, Last King, who runs in the fourth lane with the ability to run along the outside of the trio right in front of him if he wished to. Police Heat (The Sidley Stud) is next, with Silver Sod (Nakamura Stables) by himself at the back.
(½ Mile- :47.30)- The field moves around the clubhouse turn and into the backstretch with Terra Authority only extending his lead more to a full three length cushion. Crypto Star is second now, and he is almost a full length ahead of State Your Business. Dollar Bill tries to keep in touch with these two, still running in the second lane. Further back, Jo Ruiz opts to not pursue the four wide move with Last King and is content to run right behind State Your Business. Police Heat is within a length of him, and Silver Sod continues to trail.
(Top of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- Terra Authority rounds the turn and enters the stretch still holding the lead, but all eyes were on Last King. At the top of the turn, we began to see this gelding make his push, quickly pulling up alongside those who had been ahead of him and moving into the third position. Also, towards the back, Police Heat was showing his intentions to moving forward as well. Now, as this was going on, we did see Crypto Star gain quite a bit of ground on the leader, as well, but he would also need to be concerned with what was going on behind him. State Your Business and Dollar Bill were lacking response, and Silver Sod continued to languish in the back.
(Finish- 1:40.31)- Terra Authority did do all he could to hang on, and still had the lead with a furlong to go, but approaching the wire, he wound find himself with challengers from all angles. Crypto Star was running well on the rail, but the run of Last King was the best of them all, and there would be no dead heat between he and Terra Authority on this day. He’d go on to win by a little less than a length over Police Heat, who also looked good in the stretch. Crypto Star edges out Terra Authority for show. Rounding it out, all being non-factors, are State Your Business, Dollar Bill, and Silver Sod.
About The Winner- Last King, trained by Riggins Racing and ridden to victory by Jo Ruiz, is a two-year-old gelding by King Party and is out of Last Dream. He was bred in California by LionKing Stables and was acquired by Riggins Racing in private sales for $35.000 in May while he was still unraced. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his second in six starts and first stake win. His career earnings are now $103.790.
| ## | Horse Name | Owner Name | Jockey | Odds | Fin | Time | SRF | ||
| 8 | Last King | Riggins Racing | Ruiz Jo | 5.60 | 13/4 | 1:40.31 | |||
| 4 | Police Heat | The Sidley Stud | Davis D | 2.00 | 21/2 | 1:40.49 | |||
| 2 | Crypto Star | Maxmillion Farm | Juarez N | 5.50 | 3no | 1:40.59 | |||
| 7 | Terra Authority | Alydar Stables | Gomez J A | 1.90 | 42 | 1:40.60 | |||
| 5 | State Your Business | Big Jd Racing | McCarthy T | 4.35 | 5hd | 1:41.02 | |||
| 3 | Dollar Bill | D J C Racing Stables | Silvera Ru | 224.25 | 61 | 1:41.05 | |||
| 6 | Silver Sod | Nakamura Stables | Castellano J J | 120.25 | 7 | 1:41.32 |
Track: Firm
Time: :233 :471 1:11 1:401
$2 Mutuel Prices:
| 8 – Last King | 13.20 | 4.90 | 3.20 |
| 4 – Police Heat | 3.30 | 2.50 | |
| 2 – Crypto Star | 3.60 |
$1 Exacta: 8 – 4 Paid 20.30
$1 Trifecta: 8 – 4 – 2 Paid 64.00
Scratched: Losing Hazard, Mind The Dimes, Mystery Dime
— NS
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded
