9/25/21

   9    BEL     The Kelso Hcp (GII)

   $300.000    3yo&Up   1m    Dirt     Hcp Weights

We nailed the exacta in this one…  Need 4 Speed, sent off at a surprising 7/1 odds tracked the early pace, moved up to take over into the lane and held off the late efforts of Expert Eye and Play Along to take Saturday’s Kelso Hcp (GII), getting the flat mile in 1:34.34 on the fast main track here at Big Sandy.  Expert Eye, was another that was never far away in this one and certainly tried to make it interesting late, but settled for the place, a quarter of a length behind the winner and the same distance back to Play Along in third.  It was another length to Bellamango in fourth. 

A field of nine went to the gate after the late scratch of Shaky Sight, and away from the starting gate in this one-turn mile with El Patriota showing good early speed, Need 4 Speed, Akkadian and Expert Eye in behind the leader, then a gap to Bellamango from the outside, Play Along between horses and Hollywood Revolution skimming the rail.  Another gap to the trailing duo of Invade The Storm and Oleg. 

Making their way down the backside and nearing the far turn with four and a half furlongs to run, El Patriota showing the way by a length and a half.  Need 4 Speed on the rail, Akkadian on his flank, Expert Eye right in behind that duo, then a length and a half to Play Along, Bellamango on his outside, another length and a half to Invade The Storm between Oleg from the outside and Hollywood Revolution now the back marker, saving ground. 

The field made their way around that famous sweeping turn and we had a big change in this one as El Patriota put the cue in the rack, Need 4 Speed up to take the lead by a length and a half, Akkadian trying to push forward, Expert Eye now moving up from the inside, Play along down the center of the track and Bellamango on his outside.  El Patriota losing ground along the rail, Oleg widest of all, then the trailing pair of Invade The Storm and Hollywood Revolution.

Moving down the lane and in deep stretch, Need 4 Speed maintaining his lead, as Expert Eye and Play Along emerged from the pack to apply the pressure, but as they went under the wire, this was all about Need 4 Speed as he held off the late closing drive from Expert Eye and took the win by a quarter length.  It was the same distance to Expert Eye in second to Play Along in third, with Bellamango taking the minor money by a nose over Akkadian.  Oleg was sixth, Hollywood Revolution seventh, Invade The Storm eighth and El Patriota tiring to be last in the field of nine.  

Need 4 Speed is a 3yo bay gelded son of Rumble – Gropey Pinball by Cherokee Sunset, and he was bred in Cal by Team 7 Illusions.  A true rags-to-riches story, he was claimed by current owner Kingelleinc for just $6.250 back in Dec of last year.  He’s won five races for the new connections, eight lifetime wins, and this is his third graded score.  Now showing earnings of $496.680.  Congrats to the connections! 

$2 Mutuel Prices:

Track: Fast            Time: :23²  :47   1:10¹  1:34¹
$1 Exacta: 3 – 1 Paid 70.80          $1 Trifecta: 3 – 1 – 6 Paid 156.60
Scratched: Shaky Sight

Need 4 Speed settled behind the pace while unhurried, up to take the lead into the lane, clear with a sixteenth to run, held off late charge from foe, won driving.  Expert Eye tracked the pace, lost some ground through the turn, came again 2p, gaining late, game effort.  Play Along raced mid-pack while saving ground, moved to 4p for the drive, good late effort.  Bellamango rated 3p, drifted to 5p for the drive, evenly.  Akkadian tracked the pace 3p, flattened out late.  Oleg trailed, passed tiring rivals.  Hollywood Revolution was never involved.  Invade The Storm was outrun.  El Patriota set the pace to mid-way on the turn, tired. 

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES