3 AQU The Bold Ruler Handicap (GIII)
$200.000 7f Dirt Hcp Weights
Spankys Barn is certainly a sharp outfit and Glorious proved that every post can be a winning one, taking The Bold Ruler Hcp (GIII) at AQU by a narrowing quarter length, getting the seven panels in 1:211 on a strip labeled fast. Lucky Star was closing fast and made it interesting in the late stages, while Charleys Agent rounded out the trifecta.
It was a brisk, cloudy afternoon but the weather gods held off the precipitation in Queens, and as they got away from the starting gate, Glorious was on the gas from the outside, Blurred Return and Charleys Agent in hot pursuit, Broken Tap from the rail and back to the outside where Shanghai Days gave chase. Have A Seat and Air Show were next, Striped Maple, Creep City from the far outside, back towards the middle for Lucky Star and Relentless was away awkwardly and trailed early.
Streaking down the backside, Glorious in front by nearly three lengths. Charley Agent was able to move closer to the rail in second, Broken Tap from the rail and Air Show three wide. Three quarters of a length to Blurred Return, Striped Maple on his outside, Have A Seat back towards the rail and Shanghai Days caught widest of all. Lucky Star was next, a gap of two to Creep City and Relentless still at the back of the field.
Into the turn and now midway around the far turn, two and a half furlongs to run and Glorious was fully committed to the lead and was in front by three. Charleys Agent between horses, Air Show on his outside, Broken Tap on the rail – all lined up. A gap in the field to Striped Maple on the outside of Have A Seat, skimming the rail, Blurred Return between that pair. Another length back to Lucky Star, Shanghais Days on his outer flank, Creep City back towards the inside and Relentless could still see them all, eight lengths from front to back.
Down to the furlong marker, Glorious continued to lead by two, Charleys Agent trying to dig in, Air Show out in the middle of the track, Broken Tap on the inside, another length to the trio of Lucky Star, Blurred Return and Have A Seat… the rest were out of it… and the race to the wire was on.
Inside the final 100 yards and to the finish, Glorious being asked for everything, Charleys Agent closing in, and now Lucky Star full of run and coming at them fast… down to the wire and Glorious and a perfectly timed ride got the job done by a quarter length, and a blanket of horses behind him. The photo showed Lucky Star in second, Charleys Agent a head back in third and Broken Tap another head back in fourth. Air Show flattened out to be fifth, Have A Seat in sixth, then Blurred Return, Shanghai Days in eighth, Striped Maple ninth, Relentless tenth and Creep City, the post time favorite, never fired and was last in the field of eleven.
Glorious is a 5yo chestnut gelding by Giants Victory – Spirit Of Glory, by Glory In Motion, and was bred in Cal by Trip T Racing. Acquired back via private purchase, this is his second stint in this trainer’s hands, the Spankys Barn tutored sprinter shows eight wins from thirty-three starts and earnings of $1,203.420. Congratulations to Spanky and Glorious.
12 Glorious 15.40 7.40 4.40
7 Lucky Star 6.70 4.00
10 Charleys Agent 3.80
12 / 7 EX 40.90 12 / 7 / 10 TRI 334.90
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
