The Stephens – Grade I
7 Furlongs Dirt Stake Purse $400.000 Open 3 Year Olds.

1st       Get Set Gone        Serenity Stables       Saez L

On a day when those wide horses were able to travel wide throughout and still get into the finish this one really showed the benefit of a clear run against covering about a 50 yards more than the inside by running wide, well at least on this day. Breaking into the third group he just stayed out there, traveling well and with a confident rider and that was the winning of the race because if he had spent half the race trying to find the rail i wouldn’t be writing about him now. He was game at the end just like in his Bay Shore win and looks one of those real seven furlong specialists.
Now a winner of five races he moves into BC territory with this win the only question that remains is whether he stretches out to the mile or stays at the sprint trips.

2nd         Shifu Tan         Keikowin Racing        Van Dyke D

Confirmed that Bay Shore form by chasing home Get Set Gone again and is another that grows a leg over this trip. In a similar plight to the winner he stayed wide but was closer to the leader but as they lined up going down the stretch he just couldn’t find that kick to get the job done. This was a great run by the lightly raced gelding and once the stable shakes the wide draw voodoo he may win some very nice races.

3rd     Indie Bread    Spankys Barn       Prat F

A big effort by the Shakertown winner he certainly proved that he can act on either surface. Again wide like all of the first three he broke into the stalking pack but couldn’t quicken away when the whips came out. He was game though and the pace was solid so this was a good effort and one that will make future decisions with regards to his best surface very tough for the owner.

4th         Evergreen        Mb Stables      Bridgmohan S X

The danger of the one gate was very evident here as he broke into the third group and was always going to need luck to find a way through. He searched and searched for a gap and when it did the wide horses had all flown for home. I still felt that there was a hope when the gap came but over this trip it is hard to sprint again at the end and he just battled. Once he gets over the mile again he will be back to winning ways.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES