CD (Grade 1)- $1,000.000 Purse
CD- For Four Year Olds and Upward
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
May 4, 2024

The rain that fell at CD on Saturday led to several horses being scratched, including the horse that we picked to win: Categorical Maybe. In fact, two of our top four picks were among the horses that would not be sent to the starting gate as planned. Having no issue with the elements was Dayton, who is trained by Pan Farms. He went off at about 19/1, and was the second longest shot on the board, but he would make those who believed in him happy as he holds off a second-place dead heat by half a length. This is the first win in the CD for both Pan Farms and jockey A A Gallardo. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:22.50. Let’s take a look at it:

(1/4 Mile- :22.71)- Out in front, it’s Incinerator, and he will pull out by a length for Night Rider Stables over a couple of well-known commodities that are right behind him. There we find the Fractious- trained Retaliate and Arindel’s Gorogue Laga, and they run evenly with Dorian Gray within a length of them for Night Rider Stables. Running right behind those two, we have our eventual winner from Pan Farms, Dayton, as well as Public Information (D J C Racing Stables). After about two lengths, Investment Center (TwinTowersRacing) leads the rest of the pack, running ahead of Crush Rush (Maxmillion Farm), Tiz Trippi (Rock Creek), and Angel Dust (Fractious).

(½ Mile- :46.21)- Incinerator leads the field down the backstretch and into the turn while still leading by a length. However, the two horses that had been stalking him, Retaliate and Gorogue Laga have moved down a lane to prepare to move by to the outside within the turn. Dorian Gray, however, could not to the same and was showing signs of fatigue. Dayton has pulled up alongside him and moved into the fourth position and only has about two lengths to make up on the leader. Public Information is by himself in sixth, a length ahead of the back four, who are all running together.

(Top of Stretch, 1.7F To Go)- Incinerator is looking good out in front of the field, maintaining his length advantage throughout the turn. Neither Retaliate or Gorogue Laga were able to make the outside run on him in the turn but are still in position to do so in the stretch. Meanwhile, Dayton goes to the far outside to make his bid and is a length behind the second and third place runners. Dorian Gray is fifth, a length ahead of Public Information. The rest of the field, Crush Rush, Investment Center, Tiz Trippi and Angel Dust are all close enough to make a run at this point, but the time is now to do so.

(Finish- 1:22.50)- With a furlong to go, the field is getting very tight from front to back as Incinerator tries to hang on. However, Dayton has been coming on strong with his outside bid and would use the final moments to make the pass and hang on over everyone else to secure the win. While Incinerator had been put away, Angel Dust was making a frantic late bid that would not get quite to Dayton. In a photo for place, Incinerator and Angel Dust were judged to have finished in a dead heat. Gorogue Laga grabs fourth over Retaliate and Crush Rush. Rounding it out, it’s Public Information, Tiz Trippi, Investment Center and Dorian Gray.

About The Winner- Dayton, trained by Pan Farms and ridden to victory by A A Gallardo, is a four-year-old colt by Day Of Destiny and is out of Minutiae. He was bred in California as a fourth quarter two-year-old, the only trainer for which he has ever known. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his third in 13 starts and first stake win. His career earnings are now $1,075.700.

Track: Good
Time: :22³  :46¹  1:10¹  1:22²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 11 – 12 Paid 55.60, 11 – 13 Paid 63.80
$1 Trifecta: 11 – 12 – 13 Paid 250.20, 11 – 13 – 12 Paid 167.10

Scratched: Categorical Maybe, Plan To Wheel, More Twist(L), Tehran(L)

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES