Kentucky Cup Turf (Grade 3)- $600.000 Purse
KD- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Half on the Turf
September 10, 2016

Grande Sournoise spent most of this race running at the back of the pack, but that is really nothing new for this still young three year old.  In the stretch, it took a fantastic piece of riding by R Bejarano to maneuver the traffic around this uniquely shaped turf course to get just the second win of Grand Sournoise’s career and preventing very high priced longshot to lighting up the toteboard in a way no one could think possible.  Turf stars are nothing new for Drabfantasy, and we can expect to see the one running in the brightest spotlight in about six weeks.  It is the first time that he has won this stake, and the same holds true for R Bejarano!  The time of the win was 2:27.48 over a turf course listed as good.  Congratulations to our winners!  Here’s a look at the result!

1st- 3- Grande Sournoise (5/1)- Our eventual winner from Drabfantasy was not interested in the early pace, but this was not a surprise as he is one who likes to come from behind.   By the times things settled and they hit the half mile mark, he had given himself an eight length deficit to try and make up.  There was no change in the backstretch with him, and at the top of the long final turn, he still had that same distance to makeup with nearly the entire field ahead of him.  R Bejarano looked to move him forward in the turn, choosing a lane that would be to the outside of Aggravation.  However, he would run into the tiring Bold Eagle a little too quickly, so he had to make a split second decision on how to get around him, and it’s a good thing he didn’t use the odds board to help make that decision.  He would tuck him in behind the 845/1 longshot to clear him, and then moved him to the outside of Inspector Jacque to make that pass.  Fortunately, there was enough room ahead of Tundra Kenny to do this.  With a furlong to go, traffic concerns were over, but he still had two lengths to make up!  R Bejarano was not going to be denied with Grande Sournoise and rode him hard to the wire, to pick up this win, in a time of 2:27.48.  Grande Sournoise is a three year old by Sneaky Little Pirate and out of El Gran Nebraska.  He was bred in California by Drabfantasy, and they have been together throughout.  Congratulations to the connections!

2nd- 10- Inspector Jacque (845/1)- The longest shot on the board from Kopites made a stunning jump up in class for this race and almost pulled off an upset of fair proportions to what his odds for this race actually were.  At the start of the race, he was near the back of the field, running mainly with the likes of Aggravation.  Kept pace in the backstretch, and began to make his push as run around the long turn began.  Cut in the lead gradually as they moved around this turn, and the top of the stretch he had less then two lengths to make up.  Could he really pull it off at these odds?  He was in full stride in the stretch and briefly led, but unfortunately for the trainer and the couple people holding a win ticket, he would come up just slightly short.

3rd- 9- Exactly As Planned (22/1)- Broke quickly out of the gate for Maxmillion Farm, and would emerge with the lead by the time they reached the opening turn of the race.  He would show the way as they moved down the backstretch, running a half mile in :48.99, and three quarters in 1:13.23.  As they approached the final turn, his lead stretched out to three lengths, and things looked very good.  Pervoked was coming on as they moved around the turn, but at the top of the stretch, it seemed as though he was answering that challenge quite well.   He would still run well to the wire, but he could not hold off the top two.

4th- 2- Pervoked (5/1)-   The Blushing Meadows gelding started well, and would stalk the leaders as they moved around the opening turn.  As the backstretch run commenced, he was alongside Bold Eagle and about two lengths from the lead.  At the top of the turn, and with about half a mile to go, he assumed the second spot but trailed by about three lengths.  Pulled to within a length of the leader Exactly As Planned at the beginning of the stretch, but then his progress began to fizzle out, and he would never be able to complete this pass.

5th- 8- Tundra Kenny (17/1)– The reigning BC Turf champion from Australia Wide did not start well, and went right to the back of the field. While rounding the opening turn, he would move to the third lane and tried to regain a couple spots.  That’s all it would be though, just a couple, and this led to him being four wide around the long final turn.  Ran well along the outside, but was never a threat to the leaders at any point.  His fifth place finish is simply a matter of him being the best of the race’s non-factor.

6th- 1- Aggravation (6/5)- Our pre-race selection from Mb Stables for off to an average start along the rail, running with Inspector Jacque about four lengths from the lead.  Uneventfully remained in this position in the backstretch and around the turn with his main excitement being the need to come off the rail to get around Astonishing.  He would have no response in the stretch.

7th- 7- T S Crystal (5/2)- The Triple K entry had no interest in the early pace and went promptly to the back to run with Grande Sournoise and Tundra Kenny.  Did not show anything over the backstretch, or around the turn.  Still had six lengths to make up at the top of the stretch.  Showed little and was only able to pass others who completely ran out of gas.

8th- 5- Bold Eagle (16/1)- Got off to a good start early for Spankys Barn, and assumed a stalking position behind Astonishing early on.  Raced about three to four lengths from the leader over the middle portion of the event.  Level in this spot over the long turn, and even as late as 1 ½ furlongs to go, he was just being passed by Grande Sournoise.  Came up empty in stretch.

9th- 6- Astonishing (20/1)- Started quickly out of the gate for Wolf Den and led the field to the finish line on the first lap.  Stayed with the pace setting Exactly As Planned for about six furlongs.  At which point, he called it a day.

Track: Good
Time: :48⁴  1:13¹  2:02¹  2:27²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 3 – 10 Paid 953.90
$1 Trifecta: 3 – 10 – 9 Paid 1,149.30

Scratched: Chateau Angel

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES