NY Stallion Series- Thunder Rumble ($125.000 Purse)
AQU- For Three Year Olds and Upward Foaled in NY
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
November 18, 2018

The Thunder Rumble was an interesting race due to the number of quality horses that were in the field that had not won yet in 2018. One of them figured to snap out of it here, even though there were a few in the field who had won previously, the perceived stars of the field were winless this year. It had been almost exactly on calendar year since Alpha Uno won a race, breaking his maiden on November 15, 2017, which was also at AQU. Despite the lack of wins, he has remained effective, and with a little more luck could have picked up a couple graded wins this year. Still, it would not be until here in the Thunder Rumble that Alpha Uno would get that second career win. Congratulations to the trainer Estero Farms on this victory! It is his first win in the stake, and the second such win for jockey M Franco. The time of the race was 1:21.78, a middle of the road time when looking at the stake’s history. Let’s take a look at it now!

(1/4 Mile- :22.85)- Snow Board, from the outside for trainer Maxmillion Farm, is full of energy as soon as the gate opens and jumps out to a quick lead of a length and a half. This would have been even greater if Psychotic Ruler, from D J C Racing Stables, did not also start well. After him, it’s a gap of two lengths to where we see the majority of the field running at this time. Bronx Bomber is in the third position for Aer Stables, with both Rhaegar (Eastern Equine) and Quarter Bay (Gdp Inc) running to his inside half a length back. Our eventual winner, Alpha Uno, was to the outside of Bronx Bomber for Estero Farms, with four lengths to make up. Cajun Cuffs did not start well, and trailed by seven early for D J C Racing Stables.

(½ Mile- :45.84)- Moving down the backstretch, we don’t see any changes in the running order, or anyone showing any inclination of making a move. The leader, Snow Board, only extends his lead a little further, but this was more because of Psychotic Ruler dropping back into the clutches of the rest of the field. That field is running just how they were before, so let’s move on.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Have they let Snow Board get away? This longshot continues to pace the field, and as no one makes a move on him, he now has a three length lead with just a furlong and a half left. Surely, we can put this in the books now for him, right? Behind him, you could throw a blanket over them, as they were five wide across the track in one of our classic virtual straight lines. Psychotic Ruler had faded back into it, and on the outside, Alpha Uno looked to have the strongest run of any of them. Cajun Cuffs was behind the wall of horses here.

(Finish- 1:21.78)- Alpha Uno was coming on strong and rapidly cutting into the lead, and on the inside, Quarter Bay was also looking sharp. Both of these two were making a strong run on our leader, Snow Board. It seemed as though all Snow Board needed to do at the top of the stretch was to be consistent to the wire, but he was in hang on mode, and that would cost him. The efforts of both Alpha Uno and Quarter Bay would see the two of them both get by the pacesetter, and after the photo between the two of them was examined, it was Alpha Uno declared the winner by a head over Quarter Bay. Snow Board was another head back, and in third. Rhaegar and Bronx Bomber ran fine in the stretch, but it would only be for the fourth place check, and that goes to Rhaegar. Cajun Cuffs was next as Psychotic Ruler, once again, has a poor finish.

About The Winner- Alpha Uno, trained by Estero Farms, and ridden to victory by M Franco, is a three year old gelding by Plucky Charley, and is out of Stay Out There. He was bred in New York by Pristine Stables as a second quarter two year old, and acquired by Estero Farms when he was till unraced, via LionKing Stables, in private sales for $50.000 in July 2017. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his second in 13 starts, and his first stake win. His career earnings are now $233.320.

Track: Fast
Time: :22⁴  :45⁴  1:09¹  1:21³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 5 – 1 Paid 41.50
$1 Trifecta: 5 – 1 – 8 Paid 119.30

Scratched: Roombound(L)

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded