The 13th Running of The AP Classic-G3
July 17, 2021 18:25
AP Race #2 $100.000 13/16 Turf
3YO 120 Lbs 4+ 124 Lbs (+penalties)
Track Record-1:51.94 (Caught Red Hoofed-2015)
Stakes Record-1:52.01(City Watch-2021)
City Watch did not disappoint his backers on Saturday at AP. Sent off as the 1.10-1 favorite in the field of eight for the $100.000 G3 AP Classic, the 4yo Motor City gelding broke alertly under jockey C.A. Emigh and established a clear lead by the time they reached the wire for the first time. From there, he simply improved his position over his rivals as they could only toil behind him.
After shading :24 for his first quarter, City Watch began to pick up the tempo through an opening half in :47.20 and three quarters in 1:10.35. Mahogany Storm and High Command were his nearest competitors, but they were never really closer than three lengths.
After a mile in 1:33.88, John Henry‘s charge was still holding sway as the rest of the field started battling for the minors in earnest. When he hit the wire in a stakes-record time of 1:52.01, his nearest competitor was Butter Ball, who made steady progress before making up the only real ground on the winner, but he was a non-threatening second on this day. Behind him, Sevens Vb passed tiring rivals to snag third and High Command barely held-off Feathers Not Dots for fourth-place money.
When asked about his horse’s performance, winning trainer John Henry had this to say, “Happy with outcome, tried a few different instructions. One worked, one didn’t. City Watch ran a great race. Happy to see him lead wire to wire. Angelos was coming, but I got lucky and held him off.”
With the win, City Watch improved his career record to 17-6-4-4 for career earnings of $461.400; he also secured four points towards a start in the BC Turf. For their respective second- and third-place showings, Butter Ball earned two points and Sevens Vb took home one point. Congratulations to John Henry and City Watch on their victory in the 2021 $100.000 G3 AP Classic.
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
