The Pelican Stakes ($125.000 Purse)
TAM- For Four Year Olds and Upward
Six Furlongs on the Dirt
February 8, 2025

Ever since he was moved to the main track, Tetris has pieced together a string of races where he consistently cashed a check and nearly pulled off a win in the Grade 2 Phoenix. He would start off his 2025 right here in the Pelican Stakes, passing a bunch of them in the stretch to secure the victory. He is trained by Ajm Stables, and it is the first win for the trainer in the race. Jockey D E Centeno was aboard for third Pelican win over the last four years. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:08.51, and that is a new record for the stake. Let’s take a look at it:

(1/4 Mile- :22.20)- From the outside, the D J C Racing Stables- trained Formidable Man is a little quicker than the others and is about a full length ahead of a group of four that are to his inside. Nutmeg is right to his inside for TwinTowersRacing, then Smack (Sheffler Stables), Roemantic (Riggins Racing), and Jim Thorpe (Marimba Racing Inc). Each one of those is a nose ahead of the other, so certainly not much separating them as several strive to get to the lead for the opening turn. Stolen Thunder (Night Rider Stables) is sixth, but in a stalking position, and you can even say that about our eventual winner, Tetris, as well. The Ajm Stables entry is running seventh, so still has to get by a bunch, but is also in a great spot on the rail. It’s a length back to Italian Captain (Avenue Z) and the trailer is Crowned Sunrise (Savos).

(½ Mile- :45.13, Top of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Formidable Man is never able to get to the inside, so will have to take the trip five wide as Nutmeg will not give him room to move over. Nutmeg could not move over himself due to the presence of Smack and Roemantic, even though he was nearly a full length ahead of them. Jim Thorpe was fifth on the rail, and the two stalkers: Stolen Thunder and Tetris had to go to “Plan B” as the wall in front of them was still holding up. For Stolen Thunder, this meant going six wide while Tetris would look to pull up right behind Nutmeg and then hope for more room to open up. Italian Captain was keeping pace with them and looking for room of his own. Crowned Sunrise was finding it hard to keep up.

(Finish- 1:08.51)- Early in the stretch, Nutmeg would get the upper hand on Formidable Man and then would win the “Courteous Horse Of The Race” award, when he politely moved over a lane to the outside for Tetris to come on through without breaking his stride. Tetris would appreciate this gesture and would blow by Nutmeg and the rest of them to go on and win by a length. Nutmeg completes the exacta, and was a length ahead of third place Smack, and Italian Captain was fourth. Rounding it out, it’s Formidable Man, Stolen Thunder, Jim Thorpe and Roemantic. We’re happy to report that Crowned Sunrise did eventually finish as well.

About The Winner- Tetris, trained by Ajm Stables, and ridden to victory by D E Centeno, is a five-year-old gelding by Breath Of The Wild, and is out of the late Thalassa. He was bred in New York by Smokey Stover as a first quarter two-year-old, and was acquired by Ajm Stables, via D J C Racing Stables, with a $16.000 claim in January 2024. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his eighth in 24 starts and first stake win! His career earnings are now $479.870.

Track: Fast
Time: :22¹  :45  :56⁴  1:08²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 5 – 6 Paid 130.50
$1 Trifecta: 5 – 6 – 3 Paid 289.20

Scratched: Bronze Sunset, Max Party

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded