The GP Sprint Championship (Grade 3)- $100.000 Purse
GP- For Four Year Olds and Upward
Six Furlongs on the Dirt
February 22, 2020
French Eclipse came into the GP Sprint Championship on a two race winning streak, and has won almost half of his races. He has been a bit of a win or nothing horse in his career. While I did not pick him, I strongly considered him before feeling that he would not be able to overcome the outside post, which has been pretty uncommon for him throughout his career. The winning trainer is D J C Racing Stables, who takes it for the second time in his career. He had also won the race in 2016 with Sweep The Event. Aboard the winner is N Juarez, who wins for the first time. The time of the win was 1:09.00 for this second edition of the race run at this distance. Let’s look at his race!
(1/4 Mile- :22.11)- While the four horses to his immediate inside break very sharply and charge out to battle for the early lead, French Eclipse wants no part of that. This is not necessarily a surprise, since he usually does prefer to be off the pace, but sometimes starting on the outside can push you to the front. Instead, N Juarez seems to hold him back, and this leads to French Eclipse being one of the early trailers. The distance to the front was not bad however, as it was only four and a half lengths as he ran in the third lane.
(½ Mile- :44.87, Top Of Stretch, 1.7F To Go)- With four horses directly in front of him running side by side, it was clear that French Eclipse was going to have to make an outside run at some point in order to get by them. Juarez didn’t make this move instantly, and kept his horse running in the third, then fourth lane around the turn. Approaching the exit of the turn, it was time to run, and the outside move began. He’d pull to the outside of Black Scorpion, one of the now fading frontrunners, and was five wide, while being about two lengths back. With the field bunched up, it would take a strong run to get by and then hold off challengers to the wire.
(Finish- 1:09.00)- French Eclipse makes a great run in the stretch, and it was seeming now that the main horse he would have to contend with all the way to the finish was Cucamonga, a Tiratzo trained horse who had been about a length and a half in front of him at the top of the stretch. For the moment, it also seemed like Commanding Bee would be a threat as well. With a half furlong to go, he would make the pass of Cucamonga, and there was no one else coming. At this point, D J C Racing Stables could begin pumping his fists in victory as his horse crossed the finish line in first. Cucamonga takes second, over Glorious (Spankys Barn) and Saturday Khartoum (Rousee).
About The Winner- French Eclipse, trained by D J C Racing Stables, and ridden to victory by N Juarez, is a veteran six year old gelding by Peppermint Moon, and is out of Ose. He was bred by Allinthegate in California as a second quarter two year old, and acquired by D J C, via Bigking, in a $50.000 claiming race in June 2018. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his 11th in 23 starts, his third stake win, and first graded win. His career earnings are now $340.980.
Track: Fast
Time: :22 :444 :564 1:09
$2 Mutuel Prices:
$1 Exacta: 12 – 6 Paid 71.80
$1 Trifecta: 12 – 6 – 4 Paid 1,356.70
Scratched: Aggravating
— NS
Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES
