11/20/22

   1   WO      Kennedy Road Stakes (GII)         

  $175.000    3yo&Up      6f  Dirt         3yo 120lbs  Older 123lbs +penalties

Two things are for sure, even more than death and taxes…  my handicapping will be bad and you will have a dead-heat.  Seven lengths covered the field in Sunday’s Kennedy Road Stakes (GII), a six panel dash for the gentleman speedsters, so you know it was a blanket finish.  When the dust settled, Fractious’ Plan To Wheel, the co-favorite at 3.10/1 odds, came out on top by three-quarters of a length, stopping the clock in 1:08⁴ and taking the lion’s share of the $175.000 purse.  Then it got interesting as a PHOTO was needed to separate a bunch of them… and Viking Lucy nosed out Pray For Sunshine for second and third, then another nose to a dead-heat for fourth between Queens Commander and Buy Low Sell High. 

Plan To Wheel is a 4yo bay gelding by Strategic Command – Sweep The Wheel, by Sweep The Nebulae, and he was bred in Fla by Gdp Inc.  Acquired via Private Purchase for $150.000 back in Sep of 2020, he now has six wins from twenty-four starts, two of those victories coming this season, and he has lifetime earnings of $582.380.  Congrats to the Connections!     

$2 Mutuel Prices:

Track: Fast      Time: :22³  :45¹  :56⁴  1:08⁴
$1 Exacta: 4 – 7 Paid 50.90    $1 Trifecta: 4 – 7 – 5 Paid 1,315.10
Scratched: None

Plan To Wheel rated early, moved up to mid-pack down the backside, fanned through the turn and into the lane looking for racing room, closed well down the outside taking over inside the final 150-yards, won driving.  Viking Lucy raced just in behind the pace 2p to the far turn, moved to 3p for the drive, good late effort to gain the place.  Pray For Sunshine broke alertly setting the pace to the final 150-yards, headed, held-on for show.  Queens Commander off a step slow, moved up with an inside burst into the far turn, good late effort, DH.  Buy Low Sell High good early speed to gain 3p from the far outside post, moved up 4p into the lane to engage the leader, out-finished, DH.  Electric trailed, passed tiring rivals.  Hot Dog some early speed from the rail, drifted into the lane, tired.  Papa Nature wide trip, tired.  Hard To Forgive lacked early speed, moved up quickly into the far turn to stalk, fanned for the drive, nothing left.  Rocky Mountain High secured a rail position showing early speed to the far turn, tired.  Disciplinary was never involved.  Luv Ya Blue gave a dull effort. 

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES