The Johnson- $100.000 Purse
SAR- For Fillies Two Years Old
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Inner Turf
September 3, 2015

Heading into today’s race, Behind The Throne was the only horse in the field to run at least a mile in a race.   She did that last month at an allowance at MTH where she was behind the pack, but came back to win.  With that experience behind her, this Walkin Dead filly was ready to pick up the pieces again in the stretch, and again go from last (at six furlongs) to first place while the rest of the field may have begun to wonder how much longer they were expected to race.  The Johnson is a race where we can start to see the top contenders for the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf, and after this result you have to like Behind The Throne as having a good shot.  We’ll want to see what happens in the Grade 2 Natalma at WO in nine days before we start measuring the top contenders for that BC race, but for now Behind The Throne is impressively 3-for-3 to start her career.  We can’t forget about the potential of a couple others in this field too, who didn’t win today.   It is the first career Johnson win for the trainer, Barcelona Farms and the second such winner for jockey J Velazquez.  Congratulations to them! Let’s take a deeper look at it.

1st- 1- Behind The Throne (5/2)- The eventual winner may have been saying to herself, “You all just go ahead and run, we got a long way to go”, as she promptly went to the rear of the field for the start of the race.  She would save considerable ground early, and was at times 7-8 lengths off the leaders.   Remained unhurried throughout the backstretch, but as they approached the turn, J Velazquez began to move her forward a little bit to be able to position her to make a strong run.  During the turn, she got closer and closer, and by the top of the stretch, she was within two lengths from the lead.  She couldn’t claim the rail ride right away, but Lady Lois of Wynne would move down enough for Behind The Throne to capitalize.  Once in that lane, and with nothing but daylight ahead of her, Behind The Throne flew on by Lady Lois of Wynne for second, and ultimately outkicked Nebraska Fives to the wire to earn the win!  The time of the win 1:40.55, the second fastest Johnson in history.  Behind The Throne is a two year old filly by Walkin Dead and out of Came To The Throne (by Too Native).  She was bred in Kentucky by Team 7 Illusions as a yearling but never raced for him, having been sold in private sales in December 2014 for $13.770.  Money well spent!  Congratulations to all the connections!

2nd- 3- Nebraska Fives (9/5)- It was a midpack type of start for the regally bred Drabfantasy entry, starting the race in the fourth position.   She stayed level to the leaders for much of the backstretch run, but as they approached the final turn, she seemed to get a little more urging forward by I Ortiz Jr, and looked to make it three wide for the lead into the turn.   She would accomplish what her jockey asked her to do in the turn, and took the lead as they hit the top of the stretch.   Ran very well for much of the stretch, and at one point the trainer may have been screaming for a 1-2 finish.  She did all she could do.  Behind The Throne had plenty of energy conserved for her stretch run , and Nebraska Fives settles for second.  We’re sure these two will meet again.

3rd- 2- Lady Lois of Wynne (9/2)- The second Drabfantasy entry got off to a fairly good start, and was contend sit just off the top two throughout the first turn by a couple lengths.   Remained in a steady stride during the course of the backstretch, and even when a couple of her rivals looked to advance their own positions, Lady Lois of Wynne seemed to just be biding her time.  This proved to be the perfect plan, because on exit of the turn, some room opened up on the rail and J Ortiz pounced on it.  In the stretch, she continued to run well, and certainly did not look like a filly that is still a maiden.  The trainer should be proud of her today.

4th- 4- Track Star (12/1)- The longest shot on the board from Chili King Stables did not get off to a particularly good start, starting fifth of six while taking the third lane from the run around the turn.  Continued to have an outside lane in the backstretch, and would keep herself about a length behind Nebraska Fives as they moved into the turn.  She ran well while in the turn, and looked like she might be a strong challenger for the win as they hit the top of the stretch.  In the stretch, you can look at her run in two different ways.  The first being that she never really made a bid for the win, but secondly, that she ran alongside Nebraska Fives, to her outside much of the way, and if she wasn’t outside for mostly the whole race, maybe she would have made a stronger bid.

5th- 5- All Eyes Ahead (6/1)- Started well alongside the pacesetter for the first trip in front of the grandstand, and was able to move all the way to the rail while running in the second position for her trainer, Mb Stables.  Continued to run alongside Captain Caveman for the run down the backstretch, and would complete the pass for the lead just as the run into the turn began.  Did not have the lead for too long, as she was soon passed by Nebraska Fives, and then when Lady Lois of Wynne went by on the inside, the day was over for All Eyes Ahead.

6th- 6- Captain Caveman (6/1)- Quickest out of the gate for Downwind Stables, running well throughout the frontstretch the first time and into the turn where she would set the opening quarter in :23.82.  Maintained the lead for the majority of the backstretch run, setting the ½ mile fraction in :47.45.  Once she was passed for the lead, the Captain began to pack it in, and the remainder of the race for her was a gradual fade to the back.

Track: Firm
Time: :23⁴  :47²  1:10⁴  1:40²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 3 Paid 12.80
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 3 – 2 Paid 27.30

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Ungraded