Beach Dandy clears the field as they approach the finish line Saturday in the GR2 Risen Star
The Risen Star Stakes (Grade 2) (KYD)- $400.000 Purse
FG- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
February 16, 2019
A great field was assembled for The Risen Star Stakes, which was the first 50-point TC-prep race of the season. Beach Dandy, the winner of the BC Juvenile, was already seen as one of the top KYD prospects before the race, but after this victory, he may be the horse to beat. There is still plenty of time before the big race, and there are other strong contenders, including ones in this race that he figures to see again. For now, we’ll savor this victory and the talent of this horse. The winning trainer is Joshua Stables, his first such win in the race. The same holds true for jockey J J Castellano. The time of the victory was 1:41.21, and that is a new stake record. Let’s take a look at it!
(1/4 Mile- :23.62)- No one seems to be particularly fired out of the gate, but as they move into the opening turn, Opus Force, from Mb Stables, and Pure Authority, out of Joshua Stables, battle side by side for the early lead. The lead is two lengths over a three wide group, and on the rail of that is our eventual winner, Beach Dandy, for Joshua Stables. This is a little surprising, as in past races, he has been further back in the field, but not in this race. Running to his outside were Mr Cat Summers, for First Street Stables, and Cardinal Direction, for D J C Racing Stables. After another length and a half, there is another three wide group. From inside to outside, it consists of Clovis Point (Allinthegate), This Aint No Disco (YME Stable), and Final Verse (Mb Stables). Trailing is Sport Guide (Estero Farms), and he is six lengths out.
(½ Mile- :47.07)- Moving down the backstretch, Pure Authority begins to win the battle over Opus Force and pulls out to a lead of a length and a half. As this was going on, J J Castellano’s experience on Beach Dandy really showed, as he effortlessly moved Beach Dandy to the outside of Opus Force, and prepared to make the pass for the second position. He is still two lengths from the lead, but has pulled away from those that he had been running with earlier. It’s a gap of two lengths to now fourth place Cardinal Direction, who advance along the outside. To his inside are Mr Cat Summers and Clovis Point. Final Verse is also looking to advance in the backstretch, and is four wide. This Aint No Disco and Sport Guide trail the field.
(Top Of Stretch, 2F To Go)- Beach Dandy continued to run in a graceful and methodical manner, gradually reeling in his stablemate, Pure Authority for the race lead. The two of them are heads apart at the top of the stretch and there’s a gap of a length and a half to the third place Opus Force, a horse that many expected to be challenging for the win as well. Cardinal Direction and Mr Cat Summers were keeping pace and looking to advance. At this point, I liked the lane that Cardinal Directional had. Final Verse continues to advance on the outside, and is running four wide still, with four lengths to make up. Clovis Point was dropping back, and running with This Aint No Disco. Sport Guide was struggling at the rear of the field.
(Finish- 1:41.21)- With a length and a half to go, Beach Dandy takes over the lead from Pure Authority and runs strong to the wire to get a length victory in an impression fashion. Finishing second was the closing Final Verse, and don’t let it be lost in the shuffle that Final Verse did gain two lengths on Beach Dandy in the stretch, and ultimately ran out of time. Keep an eye on him, as well. Pure Authority hangs on for third, and is to be credited for how well he ran from start to finish. He holds off the hard charging This Aint No Disco who made a good looking late bid himself. Cardinal Direction and Mr Cat Summers were nearby as well. Opus Force surprisingly struggled late, beating only Clovis Point and Sport Guide.
About The Winner- Beach Dandy, trained by Joshua Stables, and ridden to victory by J J Castellano, is a three year old gelding by Beachcomber, and is out of the late Living Dandy. He was bred in California as a first quarter two year old by Langley Farms and was acquired unracd in the June 2018 auction for just $17.240. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his fifth in six starts, three of which are graded wins. His career earnings already are $1,862.240.
| ## | Horse Name | Owner Name | Jockey | Odds | Fin | Time | SRF | |||
|
Beach Dandy | Joshua Stables | Castellano J J | 3.75 | 11 | 1:41.21 | ||||
|
Final Verse | Mb Stables | Bejarano R | 3.60 | 21 | 1:41.43 | ||||
|
Pure Authority | Joshua Stables | Velazquez J R | 10.30 | 3no | 1:41.65 | ||||
|
This Aint No Disco | YME Stable | Desormeaux K J | 60.70 | 43/4 | 1:41.67 | ||||
|
Cardinal Direction | D J C Racing Stables | Talamo J | 6.35 | 53/4 | 1:41.83 | ||||
|
Mr Cat Summers | First Street Stables | Esquivel E | 12.10 | 61 | 1:41.98 | ||||
|
Opus Force | Mb Stables | Bridgmohan S X | 3.05 | 71/2 | 1:42.37 | ||||
|
Clovis Point | Allinthegate | Ortiz I Jr | 43.50 | 81 | 1:42.51 | ||||
|
Sport Guide | Estero Farms | Pennington F | 4.95 | 9 | 1:42.75 |
Track: Fast
Time: :233 :47 1:103 1:411
$2 Mutuel Prices:
| 1 – Beach Dandy | 9.50 | 3.40 | 3.00 |
| 6 – Final Verse | 3.60 | 2.90 | |
| 8 – Pure Authority | 4.70 |
$1 Exacta: 1 – 6 Paid 19.30
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 6 – 8 Paid 70.00
Scratched: Commanding Bee, Questionable
— NS
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
