NM Classic Gulch Champ- $180.000 Purse
ZIA- For Three Year Olds and Upward Foaled in NM
One Mile on the Dirt
October 30, 2016

Ever since he won the 2015 DMR Trials, Th Watcher never lived up to the high hopes that a trainer will have after winning that, something in which this writer experienced with the 2014 winner.  Guidry Jr only held on to him for a few races, before sending him off in private sales.  That would become the biggest theme of his career as before today he had just two wins, and frequently was passed off from trainers who saw him not be able to live up to his works.  Before arriving with John Henry, he still had just one win, but now under this guidance, he was won two of four.  Now, finally, and perhaps it took a newer trainer to the game that wasn’t going to concern himself with what he did in the DMR Trials, or who had ever participated in our traditional March event.  John Henry is concerned with just the here and now of this horse, and they seem to be clicking together. Aboard the winner was Ru Gonzalez, scoring his first win in the stake Congratulations to the winners!  The time of victory was 1:35.18, which would have put him in a dead heat with last year’s winner Captain Awesome.  Let’s take a look at the race!

1st- 2- Th Watcher (9/5)- Our eventual winner from John Henry put himself in a good track position early on.  He did not contest the pace being set by B R Express, but instead would be in the middle of the field, three lengths back as they began their run down the backstretch.  Held his ground over that portion of the race as Ru Gonzalez began to set up his pass of Mars moving into the turn.  On exit, he would emerge as the new second place horse, and could now set his sights on B R Express in the stretch, who still had a length and a half advantage at this point.  B R Express put up somewhat of a fight in attempt to answer this challenge, but with just under a furlong to go, Th Watcher pulled even, and B R Express simply did not have the same gear as Th Watcher here.  The winner would simply draw away as they hit the wire, picking up the biggest win of his career! Th Watcher is a three year old gelding by El Gran Broomstrick and out of Home Of The Party.  He was bred in NM by Jediminds Stables, who sold him unraced to Guidry Jr.  It was with that one that he earned the distinction of being a DMR Trials champion.  He would be sold four more times, however, with the last one being on July 10th when John Henry picked him up, and resurrected his career!  Congratulations to the connections!

2nd- 5- B R Express (1/1)- The post time favorite from Drabfantasy started well out of the gate, and would set the opening quarter in a time of :23.70.  Pulled out to a length and a half advantage on second place Mars as they hit the top of the backstretch.  Continued to pace the field down the backstretch without anyone putting much pressure on him, and this would even continue as they made their way around the turn.  He would run six furlongs in 1:10.79, and led until the top of the stretch.  Th Watcher would get by, but that would be the only one who showed the desire to get up there get around him, and B R Express gets a good second.

3rd- 1- Mars (9/2)- Our pre-race selection from Hawaiian Shirt Guy seemed to be in good shape early, talking a stalking trip along the rail in the opening turn of the race.  He would never made an advance on the leader and kept this distance to B R Express around the turn.  The run by Th Watcher to get by him would also not motivate him to run faster.  His race would not be characterized as awful, but it was very much flat.  In the preview, we said he had no excuses to not get it done today.  This was a disappointment for a once great horse.

4th- 4- Clovis Ali (44/1)- The longest shot on the board, from Night Rider Stables, assumed his expected position in the back of the pack early on.  For his running style, he seemed to be positioned well, being within five and a half lengths.   He would lose a length in the backstretch, and not begin to make his closing bid until midway into the turn.  Some ground was made up, but he needed far more to be a contender here.

5th- 3- Akimbo (6/1)–    The End Run Farm entry was not interested in contesting the early pace and went towards the back of the field, which is also the way he usually likes to run to start.  Towards the end of the backstretch, it seemed like jockey A J Juarez Jr wanted to begin his run, but did not have the horse underneath him.  When Clovis Ali got by, you knew he was done.  Akimbo had no stretch response, at all.

Track: Fast
Time: :23³  :47¹  1:10³  1:35

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 5 Paid 6.00
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 5 – 1 Paid 11.60

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded