The Gotham – Grade III [KYD]

1 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $300.000 Open 3 Year Olds.

1st        Cumberland Blue       Jerry Garcia Racing    Ortiz J L              1/2        1:34.95

I really liked this one’s chances coming into this race and I like his chances of getting some KYD dollars now too. Lightly raced he came from a mile behind off a strong pace to grab the win with an eye-catching performance. With the strong pace we were always going to see a late swooper and whilst there is always a lot of luck involved with that sort of style, this one could not have been more impressive in finding the room at the right time. I have a feeling that he won’t be able to do the same thing in the KYD without a similar fast pace but going on his effort in the Swale he may be adaptable enough to have a chance to lay up. He would have done his new sire’s reputation no harm with this win, and it looks like one of the veteran trainers of HRP could be in the spotlight in the coming months.              

2nd       Suspended                     Mb Stables                     Lezcano J         no          1:35.08

Nine races and still a maiden you have to wonder if this horse will ever win a race! He has some brilliant form not least this big effort and some lightening works and to be fair to him 6 of his 9 races have been in stakes races so he hasn’t been given an easy ride. He currently sits ninth in the KYD qualification standings one point in front of the ten-race maiden that took the Southwest last time, maybe that tenth race is the charm for these overachieving maidens. If ever there was a horse that deserved his place in the KYD it is this one as there is no doubting his brilliance, he just needs to find that win and soon.

3rd        Off To Shepton              Asgar                                 Curtis B            1/2        1:35.10                 

It was no surprise that the top three all came from off the pace and this one was finishing just as hard in third beaten less than a length. This was a great step up for the gelding who was also a maiden until breaking it in a stakes race at the end of last year. With this as seasonal debut will be expected to improve and I will be looking at him to be a big chance in whichever qualifier he goes for next.

4th        Self Love                         Mb Stables                     Zayas E J           1/2        1:35.21

The Withers winner went hard on the speed today and that ultimately cost him a second win and probable KYD qualification. He was further back off a similar pace in the Withers so we can only assume that he was instructed to go up on the speed or the race engine just picked him to go too hard too early. Whichever it was he is still firmly in the running for the KYD sitting in fourth place in the standings with six other stable mates behind him in the top 20 and could easily turn out to be the best hope the stable has of toppling Hurts, who is the early KYD favorite.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES