You just can’t mess with The King…  since the Vet stopped by the Big Barn over at Australia Wide’s place, The Perfect Day has been the perfect horse.  He won the CAC Derby on his first effort after the alteration, and now moved up the list of contenders for the KYD, taking Saturday’s San Felipe Stakes (GII) by a length, closing fast and looking like he wants to go longer.  Spring Lover, trained by Mb Stables was second and I really don’t want to talk about third – we had an unrealistic 3-way dead heat with Mission To Tugelu, Plumes and Atomic Titty Twister in that silly scenario.

Away from the gate in good order and making the short run to the clubhouse turn, Connectivity was in front by a half length.  Red Leaf on his outside, End Of Clay on his inside, then a gap of a length and a half back to Chester Cheetah.  Dj Fireraj inside of that one, The Perfect Day and Mission To Tugela moving down closer to the rail, Plumes a length off of that one and four wide, Flirting Romance over for a ground saving run, Atomic Titty Twister, Hollywood Ballet next to that one and Spring Lover was the early trailer.

Moving around the clubhouse turn and onto the backside, six furlongs left to run in this one, and Connectivity was showing the way by two lengths.  Red Leaf still in pursuit, Chester Cheetah a length back of that one with End Of Clay by his side, two more back to Dj Fireraj three wide, Mission to Tugela and The Perfect Day inside of that one.  Another length back to Plumes still racing 3 wide, Atomic Titty Twister next to Flirting Romance on the rail, Hollywood Bullet another length back and Spring Lover at the end, eleven lengths cover them.

Down the backstretch and now into the far turn with three furlongs to the finish, Connectivity was in front by three lengths.  Chester Cheetah looking to be done for the day, End Of Clay four wide in third, Red Leaf just to his inside and Mission To Tugela in the mix with that group.  Another length back to The Perfect Day, Dj Fireraj on his flank and Plumes caught even wider.  Another length to Atomic Titty Twister, Flirting Romance still on his inside and skimming paint, the two more back to Hollywood Ballet and Spring Lover continued to trail, but now just eight lengths off of the front end.

Swing around the turn, into the lane and past the three-sixteenth’s marker, this one was heating up fast.  Connectivity still in front by a bit more than a length but he had a wall of horses behind him… Mission To Tugela in the middle of it, Chester Cheetah coming up the inside, The Perfect Day widest of that group and Red Leaf next to that one.  Another Length back to Flirting Romance, Plumes swinging out wide for the drive, Atomic Titty Twister and End Of Clay both looking for room to run back in the middle of horses.  Spring Lover now picking it up and looking at a clear path down the rail, Dj Fireraj headed in the wrong direction and Hollywood Ballet was now the trailer.

Inside the final 150-yards and to the finish, The Perfect Day looked like he was shot out of a cannon and moved up to take the lead almost effortlessly!  Spring Lover flying up the rail trying to make a late push but this was all about The Perfect Day as he went under the wire clear by a solid length.  Spring Lover was clear in second, then the mishap that was a three-horse dead heat for the show between Mission To Tugela, Plumes and Atomic Titty Twister.  Connectivity was sixth, Flirting Romance, Chester Cheetah tiring to eighth, Red Leaf, Hollywood Ballet, Dj Fireraj in eleventh and End Of Clay closed this one out.

The Perfect Day is a 3yo gelded son of Quench – Bee Perfect Swarley, by Swarley, and he was bred by Pan farms in CA.  This was his fourth win from six starts, two stakes in a row in 2016, and he now has $472.780 in earnings.  Certainly a hot horse on the TC Trail, best of luck to him and Australia Wide moving forward!

$2 Mutuel Prices:

Track: Fast       Time: :23   :46   1:09⁴  1:41¹
$1 Exacta: 2 – 12 Paid 34.80 $1 Trifecta: 2 – 12 – 1 Paid 237.40, 2 – 12 – 5 Paid 79.80, 2 – 12 – 7 Paid 119.20
Scratched: Big N Tall Model, Dev Null, Indian Chief

Categories: Grade II