The JC Gold Cup – Grade I
1 1/4 Miles Dirt Stake Purse $1,000.000 Three-Year-Olds And Up. At SAR

1st     Quiet Return                  John Henry         7.25-1 (HRP) 6-1 (SRF)

What can I say? I told you so? I told you so! I love this horse! Just another step along the way to his next $6,000.000. Cleverly, he changed up on us… not his usual deep close. I wonder if John Henry studied the race and was suspicious of all those deep closers that might make it a too-late stampede set up for the on-speedsters and issued different instructions. Well, he was never more than three lengths back, and when Velazquez said go, he drew off to another 1 3/4 length victory.

2nd      Charlie Jace              Mb Stables         8.65-1 (HRP) 5-1 (SRF)

Charlie Jace forced the pace from the git go, closed in around the far turn, took the lead when ready and just didn’t have the stamina to outrace Quiet Return to the wire when that one made his move. All in all, another courageous effort from this young four-year-old. 

3rd      Jerry                        Threshold             21.60-1 (HRP) 20-1 (SRF)

I said in my preview that Jerry had to come up with more to get much attention and more he came up with. When you have a horse you believe in and like his closing ability after watching him make up ten lengths in a grade three only to fall two lengths short, you’ve got to think if only I can get him a little closer at the start… so Jerry started seven lengths back and finished third only a length back in a grade one. That works.

4th      The Golden Age                Mb Stables           5.05-1 (HRP) 15-1 (SRF)

Well, I kinda missed the odds on this guy, but he showed me. He took that age weight allowance, switched to on-speed and raced with the leaders into the stretch where the route slowed him down, but a courageous showing for his first time against older and second race in August.

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES