Makers Mark Mile – Grade I

1 Mile Turf Stake Purse $650.00 Open 4 Year Olds And Up.

Well, I said this was a Kilroe Mile re-match and with the first three in the same order and with the same margins between them at the end you could be forgiven for thinking this was EXACTLY the same race as the Kilroe Mile. There were subtle differences. The speed horses were all blown away by Good Memories who seemed to sacrifice himself to a lead that was unsustainable, but that is probably the only thing in the race that was a little unpredictable. Even the draws were almost identical to the Kilroe with two of the first three drawn in exactly the same stall number. However, in a game that can be so random at times, though a strange change from the norm, it was nice to see form hold up.

Here is how they finished:

1st        Ello Santa        Mb Stables      Velazquez J R                1:32.28

There is no doubt this brilliant four-year-old has both heart and class in buckets. Ridden a little further back today as his stable mate took on the burden of pacemaker, he was always going well but need the gaps as they hit the stretch. The leader looked home and hosed with two to run but the virtual brick wall struck with a furlong to run, and it was then after searching and searching that Ello Santa finally found daylight. I am normally talking about his on-speed tenacity but today he produced a burst of speed in a half furlong which carried him to the lead and his second big mile win in consecutive races.           

2nd       Seven Is Lucky              Mb Stables      Lopez P                            1:32.31

I thought for one moment that he was going to get revenge on his stable mate but just as he made his run for glory and tickets were being taken to the tote window his stable mate broke his heart in the shadow of the post. Once more this brave seven-year-old has to settle for being the bridesmaid but lost nothing in defeat.              

3rd        American Nightmare D J C Racing Stables Centeno D E                  1:32.40               

Third beaten a half-length after finding traffic until the last moment and once again he was the closer that couldn’t quite make it. This was another brilliant effort by a horse who I am not sure has found his best trip yet, that may be a strange thing to say after close thirds in two of the biggest mile races of the year but his running style if compared to his sprinting running style does suggest that there may be another string to his bow.

4th        Jakarta               Nakamura Stables     Bejarano R       1:32.41

The best of the pensioners he was brave in defeat, but I just felt that creak from his old legs when the whips came out and he stretched for the line. This was an admirable effort against the best milers so far this year and being only a half-length back from the winner at the end just demonstrated how good, even at eight, this old favourite still is.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES