The Fayette (Grade 2)- $350.000 Purse
KEE- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
October 26, 2024

It looks like China Syndrome has found a nice home with Mb Stables. The trainer picked him up in the September auction, and has now led him to two consecutive victories, first in the $70.000 Taylor Derby, but now stepping up to win the Grade 2 Fayette at KEE. Overall, this is the third straight win for the gelding, but none of his wins had been stake wins before arriving in the barn of Mb Stables. This is the third win in the race for the trainer, who likes to do so every four years: winning also in 2016 and 2020. Jockey J R Velazquez gets his first Fayette Trophy. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:47.45, the third quickest in the race’s history. Here’s a look at it:

(½ Mile- :47.23)- Distant Breeze, trained by The Sidley Stud, is the quickest out of the gate, but he would soon be joined up front by Maxmillion Farm’s Schopenhauer. These two race around the opening turn side by side, and after a half mile, it’s Schopenhauer with a very slight advantage. Gas Lighting stalks the opening pace for TwinTowersRacing. After a gap of two lengths, we have the deep closer, Big Bang Boom from Rock Creek, who is closer to the front that we may have expected. Within a length to his outside is our eventual winner from Mb Stables, China Syndrome. He is officially scored as being five lengths off the lead. Next comes Twin Rackets (Alydar Stables), followed by Calling All Angels (D J C Racing Stables) and Rebel Agenda (Night Rider Stables).

(3/4 Mile- 1:11.17)- Down the backstretch, and into the turn, Distant Breeze and Schopenhauer are still running side by side, but this time, it is Distant Breeze with a head in front. Gas Lighting continues to stalk these two, and we still have that two length gap behind him to Big Bang Boom and China Syndrome. They have put a little more daylight over the rest of the field, with the post time favorite, Twin Rackets, dropping back into the clutches of Calling All Angels. Rebel Agenda is still at the back.

(Top of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- Heading into the stretch, the back-and-forth nature of exchanging the lead between Distant Breeze and Schopenhauer continues, but it is beginning to look like Schopenhauer will have more left in the tank for the stretch. Gas Lighting still stalks and has a nice lane opening up along the rail if he wants to take advantage of it in the stretch. China Syndrome has passed Big Bang Boom for fourth, as those two are still in the middle of the field. Twin Rackets, Calling All Angels, and Rebel Agenda all continued to run at the back.

(Finish- 1:47.45)- With a furlong to go, it was looking pretty good for Schopenhauer. He was getting the better of Distant Breeze, and Gas Lighting had not made a move on him. Even China Syndrome, despite having a big opening to take advantage of him, did not seem to be making up enough ground to snag the win. Somehow, in the dying moments, China Syndrome was able to respond with even more run and was clearly the superior horse as they approached the wire. Pretty impressive, really, the way he snuck through to get the victory, and it has to leave Mb Stables thrilled. Schopenhauer seemed to do everything right here but will settle for second. Big Bang Boom came on late to get third in a close photo with Gas Lighting, while Distant Breeze fell apart late to be fifth. The rest were nonfactors all day long, and are officially scored as Twin Rackets, Calling All Angels, and Rebel Agenda.

About The Winner- China Syndrome, trained by Mb Stables, and ridden to victory by J R Velazquez, is a three-year-old gelding by Copenhagen Smile and is out of Blacke Out. He was bred as a second quarter two-year-old in California by Barcelona Farms, and was acquired by Mb Stables, via Night Rider Stables, for $70.000 in the September 2024 auction. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his fifth in 10 starts, his second stake win, and first graded win. His career earnings are now $400.900.

Track: Fast
Time: :47¹  1:11  1:35¹  1:47²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 2 Paid 120.80
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 2 – 1 Paid 325.70

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES