The Nerud – Grade III
6 Furlongs Dirt Stake Purse $175.000 Open 4 Year Olds And Up.

1st Gorilla Glue Maxmillion Farm Lezcano J

Well, I said anything could win this race and that it would be noses and necks first to last and that is pretty much how it looked. This five-year-old that has on occasions looked like it was going to be a top sprinter finally put two races together and is now two from two for the year. The penny certainly seems to have dropped with him this year as he reaches that five-year-old season that we see so many top sprinters start a move to the top. After this last gasp win, he will put himself into the BC picture and with that race likely to be a similar story there is no reason why he couldn’t do this again. The fast early pace caught out a few but today he got his timing spot on and took it on the line.

2nd Tony T Riggins Racing Zayas E J

The work times this one has been laying down certainly had the look of an improved type and that magic age of five where horses can crest on their improvement curve all seemed to be pointing to a big run. He certainly out did his runs so far this year with this effort battling gamely to the line to just miss out.

3rd Only Way Is Up The Sidley Stud Ortiz I Jr

Considering the blistering early pace this six-year-old did pretty well to stay in the fight as long as he did ending up in a creditable third place. Now he has tasted the stakes class again and proved he is still willing, I would imagine we will see him back to this grade for a bit after a spell in the lower grades.

4th Everest Mo Mentum Farm Franco M

The enigma that is Everest once again proved he is right up there with the best, but his early running style seems to be finding the pace of these sprints harder to keep up with this year. A grade one winner last year, I wouldn’t say that won’t happen this year again, but he certainly seems to be a tick behind what he was as a five-year-old. Having said that, these sprints are a kind of lottery, and I am sure we will see him on top again at some point.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES