Lecomte Stakes (Grade 3) (KYD)- $200.000 Purse
FG- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and Seventy Yards on the Dirt
January 19, 2019

Those who read the forum on at least a semi-regular basis know that there are many horses, especially when two year olds, which are proclaimed to be the next great thing, and they just never seem to pan out. Their works are talked about, and are often impressive, but typically we don’t hear much of those horses by the time the first Saturday in May comes along of their three year old season. Opus Force was no stranger to the hype train, being touted for his impressive mile works while still unraced. Sure, they were very good and showed potential, but it’s a story we have seen so many times before. Mb Stables was willing to shell out $300.000 for the colt, an easier amount for him to take a chance with then it would be for the majority of trainers in the game. Since the sale, all Opus Force has done is win, going three-for-three, but the Lecomte was the most difficult assignment he had to this point. Add in some rain to downgrade the track to good, and the challenge was greater. Or maybe it was easy. Easy, because S X Bridgmohan was in the saddle. He’d won this stake five times, and in 2016 and 2017, it was with an Mb Stables horse. Yep, we should have seen it coming. Actually, we did in the preview. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:41.28. Here’s a look at it!

(1/4 Mile- :23.93)- The only in the field that looked pushed to get to the front would be Zero Risque, for Mb Stables. This would allow him to take the lead at a quarter mile, and a length and a half over his closest competitors. In the stalking position would be John Henry’s Storming and Serenity Stables’ Get Jiggy With It, while fourth place Questionable was in close proximity on the rail. Clueless Joe (Allinthegate) and Cherokee Reward (Estero Farms) stalked the stalkers, and next would be Quenched (Aer Stables), who was about four lengths back. Bo Knows (Smokey Stover) and Scarlet Ninja (Joshua Stables) were towards the back, but even with that were within five lengths of the lead. Digital Fraud (Nakamura Stables) was another length back. At the rear of the field would be our eventual winner, Opus Force, from Mb Stables, who had about six and a half lengths to make up, and plenty of time in which to do it.

(½ Mile- :48.55)- Don’t often see a lot of moving around within the field over the backstretch in this type of race, but here we actually would. Zero Risque was leading, still, but Cherokee Reward was not willing to stay a couple lengths back, and pushed forward for the lead, passing both Storming and Get Jiggy With It along the way to get there. At half a mile, he was side by side with Zero Risque. Storming responded to Cherokee Reward’s move and would not let him get in front of him by too much, and they would actually be three wide here. Get Jiggy With It did not advance here, and now had Quenched along his inside. Clueless Joe had been running with Cherokee Reward, but while that one went forward, Clueless Joe went back just a bit. Questionable and Scarlet Ninja were holding their ground, but another move came in the form of Digital Fraud who looked to make a three-wide move near the end of the backstretch run. This would leave Bo Knows in the next to last position, ahead of only Opus Force, who had no problem watching the shuffling of positions in front of him.

(Top Of Stretch, 2F To Go)- At the end of the backstretch, and going around the turn, Cherokee Reward would win out in the three way battle for the lead. Despite being in the third lane here, he made quick work of those two especially near the exit of the turn. He would end up leading at the top of the stretch leading by a lengths. Zero Risque and Storming remained even for second, but seemed very vulnerable now. Near the top of the stretch, we saw that coordinated shift of horses in unison that we all know and love. Questionable seemed to be the main instigator of this push, but Quenched, Get Jiggy With It, and Scarlet Ninja all looked for their lane as well. Clearly, there would be a contender or two emerging from this group, but not as sure as to who it would be quite yet. Further back, Digital Fraud could not make his move stick, and Opus Force was happy to assume that position instead. He would swing out five out and look to show that powerful stretch kick he had been saving. He had to make up five lengths as he prepared to pass Clueless Joe. Bo Knows was struggling today, and was ahead of only Digital Fraud.

(Finish- 1:41.28)- Cherokee Reward looked good in the early portion of the stretch run, but a wall of horses was setting up behind him, and gradually closing the gap. Opus Force was behind this wall, and had to go about eight wide to make his run from behind. He did well here though, and the only question would be as to whether he would have enough time. Questionable and Scarlet Ninja emerged as the top threats from within the wall, and they, too, closed on Cherokee Reward, but not at the rate of Opus Force. Opus Force would indeed have enough time, looking very impressive in the stretch, winning by half a length over a three-way photo for place. Cherokee Reward would prevail in that, while Questionable and Scarlet Ninja would be a dead heat for third. Clueless Joe ran well late, too, but only gets fifth. Behind him they were four across for sixth, officially scored as Get Jiggy With It, Bo Knows, Quenched, and Zero Risque. Storming faded, and Digitial Fraud beats no one.

About The Winner- Opus Force is a three year old colt by Opus And Eggs, and is out of Sweeping Force. He was bred in Louisiana as a second quarter two year old by Drabfantasy, and was acquired in private sales by Mb Stables, unraced, but after a lot of forum hype, for $300.000. Congratulations to the connections! He is a perfect 3-for-3 in his career, and this is his second stake win, and first graded. His career earnings are now $194.000.

Track: Good
Time: :23⁴  :48²  1:12²  1:41¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 10 – 9 Paid 42.40
$1 Trifecta: 10 – 9 – 1 Paid 219.90, 10 – 9 – 7 Paid 219.90

Winner picked by NS

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES