6  AQU   The Sleepy Hollow

        $250.000     1m         2yo               Foaled in NY

The youngsters came out to play in The Sleepy Hollow at AQU and La Canada Racehorses’ Personal Beliefs came to play hard… real hard, as the black gelding tracked near the pace through the early goings and got up in the late states to take the $250.000 NY-bred stakes by a neck over Aggravated Sky.  Oh My Gad was a close up third and his stable mate Mini Me tired late to be fourth, after setting all of the early fractions.

The full field of twelve loaded in the one-mile-chute and got away to make the long run down the backside with Aggravated Sky away quickly, Personal Beliefs along the rail, Son Of Lily from the middle of the pack and Mini Me a bit more outside.  Charmday and Ulster Man covered that one up, Neighborhood Hero just to the inside, Oh My Gad from the outside and Ready When You Are back towards the inside.  Inject The Venom from the far outside, Cut N Run back towards the rail and Great Britain was away slowest of all.

 Midway down the backside and five furlongs to run, Mini Me showing speed to lead by a half length with Son Of Lilly on his inside.  A length and a half back to Aggravated Sky giving chase, Personal Beliefs on the inside of that one and another length back to Cut N Run saving ground and under a hold.  Another length back to Ulster Man, Neighborhood Hero to his inside, Oh My Gad to his outside, then a length back to Ready When You Are.  Inject The Venom on his outer flank, Charmday on his inner and a gap back to Great Britain, trailing.

Now midway on the far turn and three furlongs to the wire, Mini Me had skipped away to lead by two, Aggravated Sky tracking that one with Oh My Gad moving up, Son Of Lilly to his inside, then another length back to Personal Beliefs still hugging the rail, Cut N Run to his outside.  Another length back to Ulster Man, Neighborhood Hero, Ready When You Are to his inside, then Inject The Venom on his outer, Charmday just in behind that pair and Great Britain could still see them all.

Around the turn and nearing the furlong marker, Aggravated Sky with a three-quarters of a length lead in front of Mini Me on the rail, Oh My Gad with a clear path four wide and Personal Beliefs made it four with a chance.  A gap back to Cut N Run, Inject The Venom widest of all and asked for more, Neighborhood Hero, Ready When You Are and Ulster Man all together in a bunch, another length to Charmday, Son Of Lilly on the rail and Great Britain.

Deep stretch and to the finish, Aggravated Sky with a nose in front of Person Beliefs, Oh My Gad still digging in from the outside, Mini Me back towards the rail… but as they hit the wire, Personal Beliefs just had the momentum and ultimately the win, hitting the wire in 1:35.24.  Aggravated Sky was a neck back in a game, game effort, then another half length back to Oh My Gad in third.  Mini Me continued on well to be fourth, Inject The Venom closed well to be fifth, then Charmday in sixth.  Neighborhood Hero was seventh, Cut N Run in eighth, Ready When You Are ninth, then Great Britain passing a few late in tenth, Ulster Man flattening out to be eleventh and Son Of Lilly tired from his early efforts to close this one out.

Personal Beliefs is a black 2yo gelding by Personal Secret – Best Believe It, by Bluff Oyster and was bred in NY by his owner, La Canada Racehorses.  This was his second victory from seven starts and a pair of runner up placings, making his total bank $234.000.  This was his first stakes score but you have to believe that you will see this one getting his picture taken again… soon.  Congrats to the connections and to Personal Beliefs.

 1   – Personal Beliefs        13.20     9.70        5.20

 3    – Aggravated Sky                      6.50        3.90

 11   – Oh My Gad                                           4.00

$1 Exacta (1 / 3)   139.40            $1 Tri (1 / 3 / 11)   592.00

Categories: Ungraded