Foster (Grade 1) (BC)- $1,000.000 Purse
CD- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
July 1, 2023
The BC Classic is still about four months away, but after the running of the Foster, we know that Lets Celebrate will be there, as the gelding from Riggins Racing came from behind, as he so typically does, to get the win in this Grade 1. Along with it, is the winner’s share of this $1,000.000 purse, so an all-around great day for the horse that ran for a $12.000 claiming tag in February. Lets Celebrate had shown potential as a three-year-old, but would then have a long layoff which lasted fourteen months and into that claiming race. That would be the start of great things for him and Lets Celebrate has now gone on to win three of his last four! For trainer Riggins Racing and jockey R M Hernandez, it is their first win in the stake. Congratulations to them! The time of the win over the good track surface was 1:49.01. Let’s take a look at it!
(1/2 Mile- :46.67)- Individuation jumps out to the early lead, and is not messing around with it, as the Mb Stables entry opens up by two and a half lengths around the opening turn and into the backstretch. Leading the rest of the pack is Puppet Master, from Spankys Barn. He is the outside horse of a three wide group that also consists of G O O B A, from Fractious, as well as Sexy Back, for Night Rider Stables. Behind that one by a length, there’s another group of three, which from inside to outside are All Take (Alydar Stables), Quality Art (Mb Stables), and Scott The Cherokee (TwinTowersRacing). After another gap of about three lengths, we have our eventual winner, Lets Celebrate, for Riggins Racing, who is scored officially as being ten lengths from the lead. Behind him, are Hard To Forgive (D J C Racing Stables) and Papa Nature (Night Rider Stables).
(3/4 Mile- 1:11.03)- Not leader and changes over this next section of the race. Individuation is still out front, all by himself, as he tries to go wire to wire. Early in the turn, Puppet Master clearly takes over the second position from G O O B A, and Sexy Back begins to lose ground. The middle of the pack does not see much difference from how they were previous, and further back Lets Celebrate has not made his run yet. For now, he runs on the rail moving into the turn, while being nine lengths from the lead.
(Top of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- Individuation is still the race leader and continues to be unchallenged. Has the rest of the field let him get away from them at this point? Puppet Master is trying to make up ground while running on the outside and is the only one close to the leader that looks like he could make a run. G O O B A and Sexy Back were losing ground now, and in the middle of the field, we had not seen much out of All Take or Quality Art, and Scott The Cherokee was lacking response. However, our closer, Lets Celebrate was one to watch, as anticipated. He had not passed anyone yet, but he had made up some ground to be with the rest of the pack. As long as he could find a lane to run, he figured to pass a bunch of these.
(Finish- 1:49.01)- It’s all Individuation when you look at the horses up front, but his biggest threat was coming. A gap opened up between Sexy Back and All Take, and this would allow Lets Celebrate to not have to break stride as he made his bid for the win. With a furlong to go, he was part of a five wide group for third, and made quick work of them, and now it was time to try and catch Puppet Master, and finally, Individuation. Puppet Master was slowly reeling in Individuation, so maybe that would have been an interesting battle if all eyes were not on Lets Celebrate at this point, and in the final strides, there was clearly no one better than Lets Celebrate. He would get there with time to spare, taking the win and his spot in the starting gate for the BC Classic as long as Riggins Racing wants him there. Individuation did hang on for second over Puppet Master, with All Take beginning to hit his best stride way too late for the fourth-place check. The rest of the running order will read Quality Art, Sexy Back, G O O B A, Hard To Forgive, Papa Nature, and Scott The Cherokee.
About The Winner- Lets Celebrate, trained by Riggins Racing and ridden to victory by R M Hernandez, is a five-year-old gelding by Celebrate, and is out of the late Gone In 60 Seconds. He was bred by Riggins Racing in California as a second quarter two-year-old, the only trainer for which he has ever known. The win is his fifth in 15 starts, his third stake win and second graded win. His career earnings are now $927.620.
Track: Good
Time: :463 1:11 1:361 1:49
$2 Mutuel Prices:
$1 Exacta: 9 – 8 Paid 24.70
$1 Trifecta: 9 – 8 – 5 Paid 610.80
Scratched: None
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
