The MTH Stakes (Grade 3)- $150.000 Purse
MTH- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
June 18, 2022

It was a good day for Nakamura Stables at MTH, as he brought two to the MTH Stakes, and they would take home the top two positions in the race! They would end up being the top two choices on the board, though it would be the second choice, Buffalo G, getting the better of his stablemate, Hollywood Capo. For Nakamura Stables, it is his first win in the race, and the same holds true for jockey A Santos. Congratulations to them! It’s probable that this is the first stake win for Santos, as well. The time of the win was 1:45.34, and that is a new stake record! Here’s a look at it!

(½ Mile- :47.29)- Arindel’s Inbred jumps out to the lead, and holds that spot as they enter the main turf course and run down the frontstretch. The lead is a length around the turn as well. At the top of the backstretch, Hollywood Capo, from Nakamura Stables, makes up some of the length and is prepared to pull up along the outside. Holding a stalking position right behind them is Mr Insurrection, for Aer Stables, and Bright Carat, for Black N Gold Stable. Our eventual race winner, Buffalo G, sits right behind them, and this Nakamura entry is running all by himself at this point. After a gap of at least two lengths comes Puissance de La Mer (Big Guns), then World In Changes (TwinTowersRacing) and Black Card (Wood Duck Stables). The last two were each sluggish out of the gate.

(3/4 Mile- 1:10.31)- Early on in the backstretch, Hollywood Capo completes the pass of Inbred, and by the time they hit the top of the turn, he has pulled out to his own length advantage. The trouble was just beginning for Inbred, though, as both Mr Insurrection and Bright Carat moved down a line to prepare to go by themselves, and A Santos moved Buffalo G into a four wide position for the turn. He would still have two and a half lengths to make up on his stablemate. There was a big gap now to the other three, and you had to be wondering when, or if, any of them were going to make a push.

(Top of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Rounding the turn and entering the stretch, Hollywood Capo holds the lead and has not yet had any new challengers. Moving into the second spot is Mr Insurrection, but the biggest threat to the leader was going to be Buffalo G, and that’s not something that Nakamura Stables was going to complain about. He had handled the turn really well and seemed to have more run in him than Mr Insurrection, although that one was still holding his own very well. Not doing so was Bright Carat, who had packed it in. Puissance de La Mer was the only one of the horses in the back to make up ground in the turn and perhaps he still had time to be a player here. World In Changes and Black Card were becoming disappointments.

(Finish- 1:45.34)- Hollywood Capo maintains a steady stride in the stretch, but it would not be good enough to hold off his stablemate. Today, it would be Buffalo G getting the job done for Nakamura Stables, as that one, despite his wide trip in the turn, and had plenty for the stretch and goes on to win by a length. Mr Insurrection was not able to keep up with him, but also did not make any progress on Hollywood Capo, assuring that he finished third behind the stablemates. There was a gap of two to Puissance de La Mer, who was never able to be a factor for one of the better spots. Black Card came up for fifth, over Bright Carat, Inbred, and World In Changes.

About The Winner- Buffalo G, trained by Nakamura Stables and ridden to victory by A Santos, is a five year old gelding by Roebuck, and is out of Queen of Africa. He was bred by Gustafson Stable as a second quarter two year old in Ontario, and acquired by Nakamura in the September 2020 auction for $53.010. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his ninth in 25 starts, his third stake win and first graded win. His career earnings are now $438.800.

Track: Firm
Time: :47¹  1:10¹  1:33³  1:45¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 5 – 7 Paid 17.20
$1 Trifecta: 5 – 7 – 1 Paid 64.40

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES