Roman Rage Earns 19th Career Win in The Troy

By Nynl Stables on August 6, 2022

The Troy (Grade 3)- $300.000 Purse
SAR- For Four Year Olds and Upward
Five and a Half Furlongs on the Turf
August 5, 2022

At the young age of seven, Roman Rage made the BC for the first time, and would run second in the BC Mile. This year, he is looking to head back for a second time, and it certainly did not matter that The Troy was his 59th career start. A strong stalking trip would get him the victory, which was his second in a row as he also won the Grade 1 Jaipur down at BEL in mid-June. It was over four years ago that Gdp Inc claimed him for $20.000, and even at that time he had run in some pretty good stakes. Now, he’ll only need one more win to get twenty for his career, and based on his current form, there’s a great shot at that. The win is the first in the race for Gdp Inc as well as for jockey M Murrill. Congratulations to both of them! The winning time of the race, on a track listed as good, was 1:02.86. Let’s take a look at it!

(1/4 Mile- :22.66)- Sniper shoots out to the lead for Avenue Z, and holds a length advantage over a four wide group that is right behind him. Our eventual winner, Gdp Inc’s Roman Rage is a part of this group, and runs on the rail. He is scored in the fourth position, technically, since two others are about a nose in front of him. One of them is Insist On Perfection, who was hoping to score another turf stake win here at the Spa for Maxmillion Farm, and the other being Shakespearean, from Mb Stables, in the fourth lane. The other Mb horse, Elijah G, is in the third lane here, but about half a length behind. Running in the middle of the field, we have the longshot Lunar Watch, from Black N Gold Stable, on the rail. Nearby to him is King Ranch (South Shore Stables), and it’s a length back to Kid Commander (Allinthegate). Running at the back, the post time favorite, Shelbags (Lindeman Prairie) gets the crowd groaning early.

(½ Mile- :45.57, Top of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Sniper is able to hold off the stalkers for most of the turn, but as they approach the stretch, his lead was in jeopardy. He is still in the lead, for now, but both Insist On Perfection and Roman Rage have pulled up to his outside and are within a half length of him. They’re preparing to settle this race between the two of them though both Shakespearean and Elijah G are trying to remain in the mix. King Ranch passed Lunar Watch and looked to get involved as well. Kid Commander and Shelbags did not have it today.

(Finish- 1:02.86)- Early in the stretch, the veteran Roman Rage is able to power on by Sniper, and more importantly, but a very valuable half length on Insist On Perfection. Shakespearean and Elijah G were not coming quick enough to be threats. As we move further down the stretch, Roman Rage is clearly the best of them of all and remains in great stride to earn his 19th career win, beating Insist On Perfection by about a length. It’s another length to Shakespearean, and then Elijah G. Sniper dropped to fifth, but beats King Ranch, Kid Commander, Lunar Watch, and Shelbags.

About the Winner- Roman Rage, trained by Gdp Inc, and ridden to victory by M Murrill, is an eight year old gelding by the late Viking Zippy and is out of the late Openly Vain. He was bred in the great breeding state of Pennsylvania as a first quarter two year old by Gdp Inc, but changed ownership hands a few times. Gdp Inc reacquired him in May 2018 with a $20.000 claim from RNP Stables. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his 19th in 59 starts, his fifth stake win and third graded win. His career earnings are now $1,743.310.

Horse Name

Owner Name

Jockey

Odds

Fin

Time

SRF

Roman Rage

Gdp Inc

Murrill M

4.35

1^3/4