The 18th Running of the Grant Stakes

November 21, 2021 16:30

DMR Race #4 $100.000 7 Furlongs 

CA-Bred 3YO+ 121/124 Lbs (Plus Penalties)

Track Record-1:19.77 (Alpha Ultimo-2007)

Stakes Record-1:21.41 (Prato Gentile-2021)

Prato Gentile just knows how to win.  For the fourth consecutive time (and the seventh in his last nine starts for multiple barns) Prato Gentile found the wire at the right moment in Sunday’s $100.000 Grant Stakes for CA-breds at DMR.  His 1:21.41 winning time established a new stakes record in the process, too.  With the win, the Iwin Enterprises-trained 5yo gelding improved his career mark to 33-12-5-5 for earnings of $413.500.

Sent-off at odds of almost 5/1, Prato Gentile was quickest from the gate and led the field for the opening furlong before ceding the pole position to Safer Dab from the one-hole.  The eventual winner never really let off of the gas through an opening quarter in in :23.16 as he was latched to Safer Dab’s outside flank.  Roundhead was just a length behind Prato Gentile while Jolly Rook and Quarter Plan raced in tandem some three lengths of the trio up front.

Prato Gentile moved to engage Safer Dab rounding the turn as they passed the half-mile marker in :45.92.  He took over as they straightened-out for the drive home and was able to put some separation between himself and Safer Dab. but Jolly Rook made a menacing move to his outside.  Jolly Rook made it interesting as they approached the wire, but Prato Gentile never let him by before they hit the wire and was able to take home the victory by a long nose/short head.  Safer Dab stayed-on well enough to secure the show as he finished a length and a half behind the duo filling the exacta and a full length in front of Quarter Plan.  It was another length back to Roundhead who completed the order of finish in the five-horse field.

Congratulations to Prato Gentile and Iwin Enterprises for their victory in the $100.000 Grant Stakes at DMR.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES