August 16, 2016

Although he could have gone in the Grade I Secretariat for straight three-year-olds and probably been the overwhelming favourite, Lunar Blaze decided to take on his older rivals for a $1,000.000 purse in the Grade I AP Million and with strong strides from the start, overpowered his rivals to score his fifth consecutive win. From the first crop of new sire Peppermint Moon, he was taken after scoring speed on the turf as a juvenile and has stepped up big times for his connections, earning nearly $2000.000 while becoming the highest rated male at HRP, especially with two straight 1 ¼ mile wins in the BEL Derby and now here.

Outside runners broke best in the Million as Grande Sournoise (30.55) and Classic Cliche (9.80) dropped to the back and through the first furlongs, Lunar Blaze (*2.85) exuded his class as the favourite to take the early lead. Defending champion Bombastic Kathology (7.85) was his shadow with champion Seven Years (37.70) four-wide and as those three moved forward, the entire field found their spot into the first turn. Heart Pocket Jeans (22.85) came with a bit of a run on the far outside and briefly tucked in as the field passed the first split in 47.08 and as Hes Juiced Up (7.00) tried to squeeze through, Lunar Blaze kept his advantage by nearly a length. Seven Years dropped back to the rail as the field marched to six-furlongs in 1:10.25 but he looked under duress with a line of four behind him, leaving Foggy Vision (7.10) to come very wide with Five Daddy Darling (12.35) crying for room along the fence. All the while, Lunar Blaze had sprinted away from his rivals with a devastating middle move and was almost three-lengths clear of his rivals with two-furlongs to run, rolling through one-mile in an amazing 1:33.79. Five Daddy Darling found his room as Seven Years weakened and from the parking lot came Desolation Island (16.00), wide throughout but still with closing speed to offer. But as the field came into the final furlong, Lunar Blaze was simply too good for his older rivals and with powerful strides, he wound up 1.5-lengths clear of his two rivals, who finished a neck apart but were two-lengths clear of the rest who showed little down the lane. Foggy Vision got up for fourth and earned a minor purse prize from a charging Grande Sournoise while Seven Years, Bombastic Kathology and Hes Juiced Up faded to fire after contesting the middle fractions. Classic Cliche broke slow and never factored, Sir Tom (5.05) wound up in the six-path after breaking from post 2 with little to offer, Heart Pocket Jeans could not find room and Breiterate (36.10) and Simbas Revenge (22.10) showed nothing to finish well behind the big winner.

Since being purchased for only $40.000 back in February, Lunar Blaze has done nothing wrong and after scoring the Stephens going short on the dirt and the BEL Derby going long on the turf, he now has the Grade I AP Million to his credit against some of the best older runners at HRP. Such versatility is rarely seen these days and he has so many options ahead but the most logical might be the Kentucky Cup Turf, with a huge purse at 1 ½ miles to see if he can handle the distance in preparation for the BC Turf.

Congratulations goes out to owner Pan Farms and their three-year-old gelding Lunar Blaze, a wire-to-wire winner of the Grade I AP Million!

Prediction                         Lunar Blaze / Sir Tom / Desolation Island

Winner                              Lunar Blaze

                                             Three-year-old chestnut gelding

                                             Peppermint Moon-Hearts Of Fire (Red Echo)

Owner                                Pan Farms

Time                                   47.08, 1:10.25, 1:33.79, 1:58.03

Overall

Lunar Blaze                      *2.85 clear early, never challenged

Five Daddy Darling        12.35 even start, found room late, up for second

Desolation Island           16.00 wide journey throughout

Foggy Vision                     7.10 even late gains

Grande Sournoise             30.55 broke slow, came wide in stretch

Seven Years                        37.70 pressed, faded only late

Bombastic Kathology      7.85 even effort

Hes Juiced Up                    7.00 failed to find more

Classic Cliche                     9.80 slow start, no threat

Sir Tom                                5.05 outrun

Heart Pocket Jeans          22.85 brief speed

Breiterate                             36.10 no factor

Simbas Revenge                22.10 no factor

Triple T Racing 🙂

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES