Riggins Racing Is “Grand” in Forester Turf Classic Romp

By Cozman on May 5, 2024

Saturday, May 4, 2024
Post Time 5:30pm EDT

5 CD Forester Turf Classic (GI)

Purse $1,000.000 4yo&Up 1 1/8m Turf 122lbs

Grand Opening is a real nice horse, we all know that. But the Riggins Racing owned gelding sure did make a mockery of the Forester Turf Classic (GI) as he just opened up in the late stages of this mile and an eighth turf stakes, and cruised home stopping the clock in 1:49.89 over the Good CD turf course. This was a top-notch group of sod specialists, and he made them all look pedestrian in an impressive win. Albaquirky, owned by Santan Stables, closed a late gap to be second best in this one. It was a gap back to Spankys Barn’s Oh Brother in third, and post time favorite, King Que Niagra, from the D J C Racing Stables, brought home the minor money. Six lengths covered the field of nine.

Congratulations to the connections.

The field loaded into the gate, the flag is up, and off and running in the 2024 Forester Turf Classic… under the wire and past the stands the first time by, Grand Opening set sail and had the early advantage as the neared the clubhouse turn, seven furlongs to run. Down to the rail for Oh Brother, Hawaiian Lord on the outside, Wimbledon between horses, then a gap to Fire And Ice on the inside of King Que Niagra, Gallant was next, then the trailing duo of Albaquirky and Details Matter.

Around the clubhouse turn and moving onto the backside, five furlongs to run and Grand Opening was joined on the inside by Oh Brother. A gap of two back to Wimbledon between horses, Hawaiian Lord on his outside, Fire And Ice on his inside, the two more back to Gallant, as Albaquirky and Details Matter were content to watch this one play out from the back of the pack.

Down the backside and not moving into the far turn, Grand Opening extending the lead to three-parts of a length, Oh Brother fighting back along the hedge, a gap of three to Wimbledon, Hawaiian Lord and Fire and Ice losing ground and King Que Niagra was inching up on that duo, the a gap to Gallant, Albaquirky being asked to move and Details Matter was still the back marker.

Now moving around the far turn and into the lane, three sixteenths of a mile to run and this was turning into a laugher… Grand Opening had skipped away to lead by three and looked to be on cruise control. Oh Brother still second but certainly did not look like a threat, Wimbledon inching up on that one, Hawaiian Lord down the center of the track but not making progress, King Que Niagra asked for more, Fire And Ice up the inside, Gallant in the clear but needed to pick it up, Albaquirky feeling the sting of the whip as he progress down the outside and Details Matter trailed.

Down the lane and to the wire, this was all about Grand Opening as he just kept to the task at hand and crossed the wire in front in comfortable fashion… listed as a length, but it looked wider than that to me. Albaquirky closed a late gap down the center of the course and grabbed the second spot, then two lengths to Oh Brother in third by a head over King Que Niagra in fourth. Wimbledon was fifth, Hawaiian Lord sixth, Details Matter seventh, Gallant eighth and Fire And Ice closed this one out.