It was no surprise when Destined For The Top came up the favorite on the morning line, Even though Spring Stormtrooper was the only entrant in the field with graded stakes experience, he finished fourth by three lengths in that effort. But the son of Laffin Stormtrooper proved he was for real when he stalked the pace and took command in the shadow of the wire.
The field broke out of the chute on the clubhouse turn. By the time they entered the main track, One Blood, the far outside horse, was in front along with Spring Stormtrooper. But into the backstretch, it was Sicario challenging One Blood while Spring Stormtrooper settling into third on the rail with Destined For The Top to his outside.
After a quarter mile, Sicario held the lead alone by a length. One Blood was content to sot just behind him in second. Spring Stormtrooper settled on the rail in third with nowhere to run. Almost a length and a half separated the first three from Destined For The Top, Ideal Monster, and Moscow Court vying for fourth. Linus, Disturbed and Monster Batler lagged behind by another length and a half.
Things stayed pretty much the same through the backstretch. Ideal Monster pulled away from Destined For The Top and Moscow Court and set his sights on the leaders
Into the turn, Sicario opened up on One Blood by 1 ½ lengths. Spring Stormtrooper looked trapped on the inside with Ideal Monster inching up on his outside. But midway on the turn, Ideal Monster began to weaken, falling behind Spring Stormtrooper by two lengths and giving jockey R J Albarado a chance to get off the rail. Instead, he and Spring Stormtrooper held their position and started cutting into Sicario’s lead. Destined For The Top and Nineties Ratler made a run three and four wide on the turn for home but couldn’t catch the leaders.
Sicario and Spring Stormtrooper pulled away by two and it took almost every inch of the mile and a sixteenth for Spring Stormtrooper to finally catch his rival. He took the lead in the final jumps and won by less than a length.
It was the second win in five starts for Staid Gullis’s homebred colt, bringing his earnings to $202.800 and landing him at #3 on the BC Juvenile Turf points list.
Congratulations to Staid Gullis!
SPRING STORMTROOPER – Stalked the pace throughout and took the lead in the shadow of the wire
SICARIO – Led at every call but came up less than a length short at the wire
NINETIES BATLER – Trailed early, then put in a big run in the stretch to take 3rd
ONE BLOOD – Close early, but couldn’t keep pace with the leaders
DESTINED FOR THE TOP – Shuffled back early, tried to mount a run in the stretch but finished 5th
MOSCOW COURT, IDEAL MONSTER , LINUS, DISTURBED – Never a factor
Categories: Grade III
