8 FG Mineshaft Stakes (GIII)
$200.000 4yo&Up 1 1/16m Dirt 123lbs +penalties
Evidently Reach For A Latte got used to the feed at Fractious’ barn… and he likes it. After a sixth place finish in the San Antonio (GII) at SA, in the first start for the new barn, the gray gelding got back on track stalking the pace to the top of the lane and then motoring home in a final time of 1:41.28 for the mile and a sixteenth and took Saturday’s Mineshaft Stakes (GIII) by a length. The photo couldn’t separate Johannes from Russian Dictator so they marked it a dead head setting off dual pays for the exacta and trifecta.
The field of eight were away in good order and made the short run into the clubhouse turn with Delaware Warrior on the early lead, Reach For A Latte next to that one, drop down to Five Little Pigs and Brief And Wonderous along the rail. Al Storm Has Arrived as next, Johannes along the inside, Pulpit out wide and Russian Dictator last and widest of all.
Around the far turn and onto the backside and six panels to run, Delaware Warrior was in front by two lengths. Brief And Wonderous still skimming the rain in second, Reach For A Latte three wide and Five Little Pigs between horses. A gap of two back to A Storm Has Arrived, between Pulpit from the outside, Johannes on the inside then back to
Russian Dictator, still the back marker.
The field made their way into the far turn and Delaware Warrior continued to lead but Reach For A Latte was ranging up quickly. Brief And Wonderous still saving ground in third, Five Little Pigs on his flank then a length to A Storm Has Arrived. Johannes was getting a golden trip along the rail, Pulpit on his outside and Russian Dictator was still last of all, five lengths covering the field.
Moving thru the lane and to the finish, it’s a wonder Kent didn’t have his silks fly over his head as Reach For A Latte accelerated and opened up a clear lead in just the blink of an eye. Johannes cut the corner and was trying to find more… but the run to the wire was all about Reach For A Latte and he went under in front clear of this field to take the victory. Johannes was challenged late by Russian Dictator, as that one closed from his trailing spot, and they ended in a dead head for second. A Storm Has Arrived was fourth in a dead-heat with Pulpit, Five Little Picks sixth, Delaware Warrior tiring to be seventh and Brief And Wonderous closed this one out.
Reach For A Latte is a 5yo gelded son of Reached A Settlement – Peppermint Latte, by Peppermint Moon, and he was bred by First Class Stable in KY. Acquired via private sale by his current connections, Fractious, for $200.000, this was his fifth win from nineteen
starts and he now has $530.600 in lifetime earnings.
$2 Mutuel Prices:
4 – Reach For A Latte 20.40 7.20 5.10
3 – Johannes (DH) 3.70 4.00
8 – Russian Dictator (DH) 2.80 2.60
Track: Fast Time: :233 :471 1:104 1:411
$1 Exacta: 4 – 3 Paid 53.80, 4 – 8 Paid 33.50
$1 Trifecta: 4 – 3 – 8 Paid 206.50, 4 – 8 – 3 Paid 155.10
Scratched: None
Reach For A Latte broke well, track the pace, big move into the lead to take command, kept to task. Johannes was taken back off of the pace while saving ground, cut the corner, good effort while no threat to the leader, caught in a dead-heat for the place. Russian Doctor void of early speed while trailing, best foot too late while up to dead-heat for the place. A Storm Has Arrived raced mid-pack throughout, evenly. Pulpit lacked early speed, passed tiring rivals. Five Little Pigs raced forwardly to the lane, tired. Delaware Warrior broke quickly, set the pace to the top of the lane, headed, tired. Brief And Wonderous tracked the leader from the rail, tired.
Categories: Grade III
