5/23/2020
1 MTH The Salvator Mile (GIII)
$150.000 3yo&Up 1m Dirt 3yo 117lbs Older 124 lbs +penalties
It was upset day at MTH and County Medical, sent off at nearly 18/1 odds, used the weight difference to his advantage and got the job done by a half length in a final time of 1:35.11, taking The Salvator Mile (GIII) over Marx On The Moon, who nosed out Twilight Flame for third, setting off a $1,309.10 trifecta.
The field of ten got away from the gate in good order with no lack of horses wanting the front end… StayHerePlayHere from the outside, Hindenburg Tour, Ice Wall Long Time Ago and County Medical made if five on the hut for the lead. Magical, Twilight Flame between horses and Marx On The Moon on the rail, behind that group, Candlestick on the outside of the rail horses and Moment In History was the early trailer.
Around the far turn and on to the backside, they had five furlongs to run and StayHerePlayHere continued to lead while racing wide. Ice Wall just to his inside, Hindenburg Tour in the three path, County Medical just in behind that one and four wide. Long Time Ago just in behind that one, another length to Twilight Flame on the rail, Magical next to that one, then a gap of two to Marx On The Moon, Candlestick on his flank and Moment In History continued to trail while three wide.
The field made their way down the back stretch and were now midway on the far turn and we had a new leader. Ice Wall up to take over by a length and a half, Hindenburg Tour to his inside, Long Time Ago to the inside of that one. StayHerePlayHere still very wide and losing ground, County Medical just to his inside, but five wide and inching up, Twilight Flame hugging the rail, Magical next to Marx On The Moon, another gap to Moment In History and Candlestick was now at the back of the pack.
Now inside the furlong marker, County Medical eight or nine wide now striking the front… Twilight Flame cutting the corner and trying to use that ground saving to mount a challenge, Long Time Ago next to that one, Ice Wall seven wide and in the thick of it, Marx On The Moon now gaining ground, Hindenburg Tour, Moment In History on his flank, then back down to the rail for Candlestick as Magical backed out of it and StayHerePlayHere put the cue in the rack.
Down to the final 150-yards and to the finish, County Medical used that outside path to his advantage and cruised home by a half length… it was bang-bang-bang for the minor money but Marx On The Moon got the nose down on Twilight Flame in third, Long Time Ago in fourth, then a length to Moment in History and Ice Wall in a dead-heat for fifth, Candlestick seventh, Hindenburg Tour eighth, Magical ninth ad StayHerePlayHere closed this one out.
County Medical is a 3yo bay cold by Call Your Doctor – Tri County by El Gran du Nebraska, and he was bred in ON by his owner, Crocker Cgs. This was his third win from ten starts, his first graded stakes win, and he now shows earnings of $231.800
$2 Mutuel Prices:
| 9 – County Medical | 37.90 | 17.00 | 17.20 |
| 1 – Marx On The Moon | 6.70 | 4.50 | |
| 2 – Twilight Flame | 16.10 |
Track: Fast Time: :224 :453 1:093 1:35
$1 Exacta: 9 – 1 Paid 116.30 $1 Trifecta: 9 – 1 – 2 Paid 1,309.10
Scratched: None
County Medical raced mid-pack, wide trip, swung eight wide for the drive, took lead inside the last sixteenth, won driving. Marx On The Moon rated back early, moved forward out of the turn, good late effort, held off the others. Twilight Flame rated back early, up into the far turn to contend, no excuse, out-bobbed for the place. Long Time Ago ground saving trip, cut the corner into the lane, flattened out late. Moment In History lacked early interest, some late foot. Ice Wall tracked the early pace, up to take the lead and held sway to the top of the lane, headed at the furlong marker, tired. Candlestick was never involved. Hindenburg Tour track the leader to the furlong marker, nothing left. Magical ground saving trip to no avail. StayHerePlayHere broke alertly, set the pace to midway, stopped.
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
