8/14/21
7 SAR The Fourstardave Handicap (GI) [BC]
$500.000 3yo&Up 1m InTurf Hcp Weights
The Green Card laid down a nice $124.60 exacta for you in this one… and Mb keyed that thing! Coming from well off of the pace to score a big GI win in Saturday’s Fourstardave at SAR, Mb Stables’ Insist Always got the job done by three-quarters of a length, stopping the timer at 1::333 for the flat mile on the inner turf, marked as Good. Butter Ball nosed out Silent Commander for the second spot then it was another length back to Through The World taking the fourth spot in a race that only five lengths covered the field.
With the late scratch of Iron Nation, we had a field of ten set to go the flat mile, and away with Strategic Heart showing good early foot, Through The World on his inside, then a gap to a wall that included Catch A Buzz, Silent Commander, Butter Ball from the rail and Royal Roil. Another gap back to Insist Always along the rail, Pollinate between horses and A Rising Struggle, as Trippi Bay was the early trailer.
They sped off around the far turn and were onto the backside with five and a half furlongs to run, Through the World still showing the way, Strategic Heart not letting him get away and giving him the heat, a gap of two back to Silent Commander with Catch A Buzz on his outside, Butter Ball just in behind that pair, another length and a half to Royal Roil, Insist Always on his inside, then a gap to Pollinate, Trippi Bay skimming the rail and A Rising Struggle four wide.
The field made their way down the backside and went into the far turn with three-eighths of a mile to run, Through The World still showing the way, Strategic Heart still tracking the leader, then a gap to Silent Commander between Butter Ball from the rail, Catch A Buzz on the outside. Another length to Insist Always, Royal Roil on his flank, another length to Trippi Bay along the hedge, Pollinate out wide and A Rising Struggle could see them all.
Around the far turn, into the lane and moving past the three-sixteenths pole, Through The World was determined to take them gate to wire and was in front by two. Strategic Heart moving in the wrong direction, Silent Commander moving up on his outside, Butter Ball up the inside and now Insist Always starting to move fastest of all. Catch A Buzz down the far outside, Royal Roil towards his inside, a gap to Trippi Bay down along the rail, Pollinate and A Rising Struggle still the back marker.
Nearing the final sixteenth and to the finish, Through The World still showing the way but he looked to be out of gas as the closer were swopping in fast… Insist Always was now a head back down the center, Silent Commander on his inside, Butter Ball back towards the inside… but as they neared the wire, Insist Always surged to the front and went under the wire clear. Butter Ball and Silent Commander were noses apart with Butter Ball taking the second sport by the slimmest of margins, and Through The World backed-out to be fourth. Royal Roil was a length back in fifth, Catch A Buzz sixth, Trippi Bay seventh, Strategic Heart eighth, A Rising Struggle ninth and Pollinate closed this one out.
Insist Always is a 4yo bay gelded son of Insist – Chaipiano, by Chai, and he was bred by El Priomo Rodeo in PA. Acquired via Private Purchase for $50.000 prior to his racing career, this was his seventh win from seventeen starts, and he now has lifetime earnings of $666.500. This was his first graded win after a couple of near misses. Congrats to the connections.
$2 Mutuel Prices:
| 6 – Insist Always | 19.40 | 8.30 | 5.90 |
| 1 – Butter Ball | 11.20 | 6.30 | |
| 3 – Silent Commander | 4.10 |
Track: Good Time: :232 :462 1:093 1:333
$1 Exacta: 6 – 1 Paid 124.60 $1 Trifecta: 6 – 1 – 3 Paid 764.90
Scratched: Iron Nation
Insist Always potentially handled early, advanced through the far turn, continued to press forward 3p down the lane, drew clear late, won driving. Butter Ball was just in behind the pace, clear path down the lane but could not go on with the eventual winner. Silent Commander stalked, settled, no excuse. Through The World broke alertly, set the pace the sixteenth pole, headed, out-finished. Royal Roil rated early, evenly late. Catch A Buzz good early speed, dropped back to track the pace, drifted for the drive, no late move. Trippi Bay was not a factor. Strategic Heart forced the pace to the lane, folded. A Rising Struggle was never involved. Pollinate outrun.
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES, THE BREEDERS CUP
