The 7th Running of The Haynesfield

03/20/2022 AQU Race #2 13:10

$100.000 1-Mile Dirt

NY-Bred 4yo+ 123 lbs (plus penalties)

Track Record-1:33.67 (Omni-2004)

Stakes Record-1:34.51 (Detained-2021)

The Haynesfield was the Sunday feature at AQU and we saw a tag team effort in the $100.000 NY-bred stakes.  Neo set a torrid pace and was gutsy down the lane, but it would be his stablemate that benefitted from his hard work as Pyragorn rallied through the stretch to pass all six of his rivals. 

Taken back well off of the pace, Pyragorn was always last as Neo set fractions of :21.82, :44.38, and 1:08.60.  Despite Neo being urged along every step, he was never more than two lengths clear as Whatchagonnado and Triple Cocked refused to allow him a breather.  The Bounder and Tusk raced next, another two lengths off of the leader and five lengths clear of Jigokudani.  Pyragorn trailed the latter by a length and was at least 11-lengths back at the half-mile pole.

At the top of the lane, Neo was confronted by his four closest pursuers as the top five were separated by only two lengths.  Jigokudani was finding his best stride and had an inside run; however, the horse moving best of all was Pyragorn.  Despite having eight lengths to make up as he entered the stretch and a host of challengers bearing down on Neo, Pyragorn would be the only horse to make a pass for the lead.  Moving away powerfully, Pyragorn would hit the wire in 1:35.31 and finish a length in front of Jigokudani.  The Bounder finally got by Neo in the shadow of the wire to secure the show and the latter was followed home by Tusk, Whatchagonnado, and Triple Cocked.

Pyragorn picked-up his fifth victory and has now won $185.850 in seventeen starts.  Congratulations to Pyragorn (with a tip of the cap to Neo) and Arindel on their victory in The Haynesfield at AQU.

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES