CC Canterbury- $110.000 Purse
GP- For Three Year Olds and Upward
Have started for a claiming price of $25.000 or less since 1/1/14
Five Furlongs on the Turf
December 5, 2015

Hambletonian Stable set out to win the Canterbury by bringing four to the race, and in the end, the trainer could sit back and watch as two of them completed the exacta.  Those who hit the exacta may have been just as happy as the trainer, as both race winner Predator Showdown and runner up Summer Star were significant longshots.  It was a surprise to see Predator Showdown be as disregarded as he was, and we can say that he was amongst our picks.  This is a horse who in his prior 26 races, had been in the top three in 24 of them, and he had been first or second in 22.   This five year old gelding is definition of consistent, and he showed that to the competition in this race.  Aboard the race winner was not J Bravo, as it was looking like it might be a couple days ago, but eventually switched to O Bocachica.  After a run like this, Bocachica may be looked for again and again to ride him!  It is one of several wins trainer Hambeltonian Stable had in the claiming crown today.  Congratulations to him on all his victories, and here, we’ll look at how Predator Showdown got it done.

1st- 10- Predator Showdown (13/1)- Our eventual race winner from Hambletonian Stable was not interested in the early pace, and was actually eighth overall as they moved into the turn, four lengths from the front.  On exit of the turn, jockey O Bocachica swung his new mount six-wide, as this was the only way he was going to be able to make a charge to the front.  Predator Showdown responded in kind and began picking them off pretty quickly.  With a furlong to go, it didn’t look like anyone was going to be able to match this move, and Predator Showdown was able to keep pouring it on all the way until the wire.  He scored the win in :56.60, slightly faster then last year’s race.  Congratulations to all of the connections on this! This horse simply knows how to win, and it will be interesting to see where he may go next.   Predator Showdown is a five year old gelding by Creative Officer and out of the autogen La Lorgnette.   He was bred in California by Team 7 Illusions and has passed through a few barns before arriving at Hambletonian Stable on September 30th of this year in a $15.000 private sale.

2nd- 1- Summer Star (64/1)- In the preview, we felt the key to him having a big race would be that he must have a clean rail trip.  Well, he did.  Heading into the turn he was just a length from the lead for Hambletonian while riding the rail.   Maintained a consistent stride throughout the turn, and this would continue into the stretch.  It helped him that a couple of closers needed to have wider trips.

3rd- 6- Slow Jack (6/5)- The surprising choice of the betting public from Blushing Meadows found himself near the back of the pack early.  In the stretch, P Lopez looked to move him in the middle of the pack and split Seattle General and Check Point Charlie.  Fortunately for the trainer, the latter was packing it in, allowing this move to be executed cleanly.

4th- 3- Seattle General (9/2)- Our pick to win got off to a good start and seemed to be in a good position in the second lane, and about half a length from the lead early.  He would run well in the turn, and assumed the lead at the top of the stretch.  It looked like he might have enough for while, but in the final furlong, he could not match up.

5th- 4- Plucky Prince (24/1)- Also out of the Hambletonian Stable, this longshot was in the mix early on, about a length and a half front the frontrunning Sweep the Street.  While running about five to six wide himself, he was advancing for a while, but then stalled out very late.  Most importantly, he was a good teammate and allowed Predator Showdown to go by without trouble.

6th- 8- Sweep The Street (9/1)- Got off to a good start for trainer Boulevard, and would lead the field into the opening turn, setting the quarter mile fraction in :22.41.  However, he had to be four wide as he rounded the turn.  Held the lead into the top of the stretch, but once passed by Seattle General, it was clear that he was going to go in reverse through the field.

7th- 9- Five Foxes (7/1)- As expected, the Night Rider Stables entry was at the back of the pack early.  He kept his position there for the turn, and in the stretch, he looked to make his patented stretch charge.  However, the only way for him to do this was to go even wider then Predator Showdown was in the stretch, and he could just not make this work.  Looks like the move may have started a bit too late.

8th- 2- Rock Hard Rajiv (49/1)- The second Night Rider Stables horse did not fare much better, starting towards the back of the pack.  He would advance a little in the turn and early in the stretch, but late in the run, he was not as strong.

9th- 7- Ferrari Testarosa (17/1)- The fourth of the four entries in here for Hambletonian was keeping Five Foxes company in the back early on.  He would never have room to run and make a closing bid, so J C Caraballo seemed to opt to take the rail and hope for the best.

10th- 5- Check Point Charlie (7/1)- The race started better then it finished for this Axeman trained gelding, as he was up on the lead early.  Began to lose touch with the leaders in the turn, and when the whole field starting coming in the stretch, there was nothing he could do about it.

Track: Firm
Time: :22²  :45   :56³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 10 – 1 Paid 450.30
$1 Trifecta: 10 – 1 – 6 Paid 857.70

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded