Lafayette Stakes
7 Furlongs Dirt Stake Purse $400.000 Open 3 Year Olds.

Global warming certainly seems alive and strong at HRP these days because I have seen more wet days than dry so far this year. The rain kept a couple away making this $400.000 prize a small field of just five runners, pretty tough when there are full fields running for a couple of bucks just down the road.
So as usual the rain changed this race and probably the result, but it didn’t stop the odds monkeys getting it right as this one went off the long odds-on favorite, surprising when you look at the form book but less surprising when you look at the wet track form.
Here is how they finished:

1st Zions Mission London Racing Corrales G

I said in the preview about this race that everyone loves an unbeaten horse, and this entire son of Zionist made it five from five with a big late run. The off track as usual threw the pace completely off and they went far too fast early leaving the race open for anything that was conserving energy and loving the conditions. This one ran the perfect tactical race and ran out a convincing winner and now the trainer will be dreaming of big things to come.

2nd Imperious Fractious Lopez P

He had won on an off track, so I was surprised to see the odds monkeys make this one third favorite considering he was a grade one runner up, a BC juvenile contender and from one of the top yards. But today the odds monkeys got it right and whilst it doesn’t happen often there will be a tea party after this result. Stalking the fast early pace, he was always going to be vulnerable to a closer and in a race scenario that happens so often, he had nothing left down the stretch.

3rd Parisian Arrow Asgar Centeno D E

He was part of the duo that insured the pace would suit closers on this wet track and it looked like he had pinched a break going into the last furlong but folded up pretty quickly. Holding on for third it was a fair effort from the outsider.

4th Knorth Kinght Our Athletes Velazquez J R

The track was all wrong for this one as he had proved before that water is not his friend. Going hard early he got the tactics all wrong and faded into fourth. I think he is better than his last two efforts on off tracks and I will be watching him if ever the sun comes out.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded