8/22/2020

 9   DMR     DMR Handicap (GII) [BC]

        $200.000    3yo&Up       1 3/8m  Turf      HCP Weights

If you bet my second pick to show, you woke up rich…  but in other news, Mb Stables won a stakes race.  Yeap, hard to believe…  that he was sent off at nearly 7/1 odds, but Momentus closed well down the lane and got under the wire in front by a length to take the DMR Hcp (GII) [BC].  The final time was 2:111 for the mile and three-eighths over the lush, firm DMR turf course.  It was a blanket finish for the minor money with 20/1 shot Range Of The Sun nosing out Stallsome, who had a head on Burning Approval in fourth.

Away from the starting gate, the field made the short run towards the far turn for the first time and Armed Escort was on the early gas, Range Of The Sun next to that one, Five Civil Nations showing good early speed, Momentus and Sneaky Little Stover from the outside.  Then a wall that included Stallsome, Burning Approval, Glacier Express, Jakers Delight and Oxford Manor.  Puzzle was next and Puget Sound was the early trailer.

Thru the lane the first time by, a mile left to run and Armed Escort was in front by a length and a half.  Range Of The Sun hugging the rail in second, a length and a half to Five Civil Nations with Momentus next to that one, a length back and out wide Sneaky Little Stover and Stallsome, another length to the trio of Glacier Express on the rail, Burning Approval between horses and Jakers Delight three wide, then another length to Oxford Manor caught three wide, Puzzle along the rail and Puget Sound between that pair.

Now dashing off into the clubhouse turn and nearing the backside with five and a half furlongs to run and Armed Escort continued to show the way by two lengths.  Range Of The Sun still tracking the leader, another length back to Five Civil Nations from the rail, Sneaky Little Stover still three wide, Momentus between that pair.  Another length to Glacier Express on the hedge, Stallsome three wide and Burning Approval between horses, another length to Jakers Delight caught four wide, another length to Puget Sound, Puzzle and Oxford Manor three wide and trailing. 

They made the run down the backside and now had three furlongs to run, it was still Armed Escort on the front end, Range Of The Sun inching up to close the gap, Momentus and Five Civil Nations moving together, another length and a half to the foursome of Stallsome out wide, Sneaky Little Stover next to him, Burning Approval in the two path and Glacier Express along the inside.  Jakers Delight five wide in behind that group, another length to the ground-saving Puzzle, Puget Sound next to that one and Oxford Manor at the rear, wide and eight lengths from the leader. 

Around the far turn, to the top of the lane and now nearing the furlong marker, the dash-for-cash was on…  Momentus up three wide to stick a head in front, Range Of The Sun trying to go on as Armed Escort began to tire along the inside.  Stallsome down the center of the track, Burning Approval towards his inside, Five Civil Nations in the three path, then the trio of Puzzle, Glacier Express and Jakers Delight, then back to the trailing trio of Sneaky Little Stover, Puget Sound and Oxford Manor. 

Deep stretch and to the finish, Momentus pushing forward from this group, now a length… length and a half in front, and he went under the wire pulling away late.  It was a three horse blanket for the minor money and the photograph separated them with Range Of The Sun nosing out Stallsome for second, then a head back to Burning Approval in fourth.  Five Civil Nations was a neck further back in fifth, the another neck to Puzzle in sixth.  Jakers Delight was seventh, glacier Armed Escort eighth, Glacier Express ninth, Puget Sound tenth, Oxford Manor eleventh and Sneaky Little Stover last in the field of twelve.

Momentus is a 4yo chestnut gelded son of Moment Of Madness – Upon Stardom, by Red Rioja, and he was bred by Mb Stables in Cal.  This was his fifth win from fourteen starts, his second graded win from his last three starts and he now has earnings of $286.080.

$2 Mutuel Prices:
 

Track: Firm             Time: :47²  1:11   1:34⁴  2:11¹
$1 Exacta: 8 – 9 Paid 379.70        $1 Trifecta: 8 – 9 – 6 Paid 1,445.00
Scratched: None
 

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES