9/26/2020

  5  PRX       PA Derby (GI)

       $1,000.000        3yo      1 1/8m  Dirt         122lbs

If you look at the payouts, we had long-shots galore, yet a 9/2 horse was second… more fun and games at SRF.  Heretowinthisfight did just that, taking the PA Derby (GI) by three-quarter’s of a length in front of Black and Red with Sars another half-length back in third.  The final time was 1:47.43 for the mile and an eight over the PRX main track – a new track record.

The gates flew open and we were off and running with Graveyard showing speed from the far outside, Brittle next to him, down to the rail for his stable-mate Sars, back to the outside for the trio of Black And Red, Relate and Most High, Bee Blue with that group, Finite and Heretowinthisfight were next, Anoush Command and Jolly Rock, the Shadow Man and Spirited Stride was the early trailer.

Making their way around the clubhouse turn and nearing the backside, they had six furlongs to run and Graveyard had crossed over and had a two length advantage on Brittle, caught three wide through the turn.  Sars on the rail, Bee Blue next to that one, Black and Red, Relate… making it four across giving chase.  Then a gap of two back to another foursome of Heretowinthisfight, Most High, Shadow Man between that pair and Finite along the rail, another length and a half to Spirited Stride, Jolly Rock along the rail and Anoush Command at the rear, eight length from front to back.

Down the backside and into the far turn with a bit more than three furlongs to run and Graveyard was trying to bury this field from the front end, now in front by two and a half lengths.  Brittle still in chase, Sars from the rail and Bland And Red three wide.  Bee Blue and Relate in behind that trio, then a group that included Shadow Man, Heretowinthisfight on his inside, Finite up the rail and Most High our four wide, then a gap of three back to the trailing trio of Jolly Rock, Spirited Stride and Anoush Command.

Swing around the far turn and the field hit the top of the lane and they streaked past the three-sixteenths pole and Graveyard’s lead was down to three quarters of a length as Brittle was pressing, Sars to his inside and Black And Red had a clear path four wide.  Heretowinthisfight was now moving forward, Shadow Man next to him, Finite still saving ground, Jolly Rock next to that one, Relate out wider on the track, then the trailing foursome of Most High, Spirited Stride, Anoush Command and Bee Blue.

Inside the final sixteenth and to the finish, Heretowinthisfight moved up quickly to take the lead, Black And Red trying to go with him Sars up the inside as Brittle and Graveyard were backing out of it… but as they hit the wire, this was all about Heretowinthisfight, going under the wire in front by a half-length, winning in track record time.  Black And Red was second, a half length in front of Sars, Jolly Rock took fourth.  Graveyard tired to be fifth, Shadow Man sixth, Brittle in seventh, Spirited Stride in eighth.  Finite was ninth, Anoush Command tenth, Most High was eleventh, Relate twelfth and Bee Blue closed this one out.

Heretowinthisfight is a 3yo gray colt by Hard To Deny – Flower Of Freedom, by Chai Latte, and he was bred by his owner, Night Mare Racing, in NY.  This was his sixth win from ten starts, five of those wins in a row, and he now has $1,107.460 in earnings.  Talk about a hot streak… this one looks ready to make a big statement at KEE. 

$2 Mutuel Prices:

Track: Fast              Time: :46³  1:10   1:34⁴  1:47^{2  **new track record**}
$1 Exacta: 7 – 8 Paid 430.50                $1 Trifecta: 7 – 8 – 1 Paid 1,016.70
Scratched: Charleys Latte

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES