6/27/2020
11 CD Foster Handicap (GII) [BC]
$500.000 4yo&Up 1 1/8m Dirt Hcp Weights
Big races, big purses, big horses and big payoffs… that was the story for the 2020 Foster Hcp (GII) as Maxmillion Farm’s Chrystal Believer, sent off at more that 15/1 odds, got home by a long neck, scoring a big payday and stopping the timer in 1:472 for the mile and an eighth main track extravaganza. Charlemagnes Command swept up on the turn and made a fight of it, but had to settle for the place while my pick, Minutes Hand, set the early pace and couldn’t go on with it today, finishing a half length back in third.
With the late scratch of Magne Account we had eleven in the starting gate and away in good order with Veritas Aequitas off to the early lead, the rail horses giving chase to that one with Minutes Hand, Chrystal Believer between horses and Combat Wombat on the inside, then Never Met Me, Charlemagnes Command to his inside, Man Childe on his outside, L A Raw caught widest of all, Keep A Secret and Hang Up was the early trailer.
Around the clubhouse turn and they made their way on to the back stretch with five and a half furlongs to run, Minutes Hand had moved up to take the lead by a length, Veritas Aequitas tracking the leader, Chrystal Believer on his flank as Man Childe moved up quickly three wide. Combat Wombat on the rail and tucked in behind that pair, Charlemagnes Command between horses and Never Met Me three wide, then a gap back to L A Raw, Hand Up and Keep A Secret was now the back marker.
The field made their way down the backside and were now mid-way on the far turn with just five-sixteenth’s of a mile to run and Minutes Ahead continued to show the way by a length, Chrystal Believer providing the heat as Veritas Aequitas lost ground, Man Childe continuing his wide push forward, back down the the rail for Combat Wombat, Never Met Me widest of all, Charlemagnes Command between that pair, then L A Raw, Hang Up and Keep A Secret continued to trail.
Into the lane and flying past the furlong marker, Chrystal Believer up to take a neck lead over Minutes Hand to his inside, the a length and a half to a group of six with Charlemagnes Command down the center, Never Met Me six wide and Man Childe just to his inside, Combat Wombat using his inside position to stay a threat, Veritas Aequitas just behind that one and three wide with L A Raw just to his inside, Hand Up and Keep A Secret would need miracles from here.
Inside the final 150-yards and to the wire, this was battle to the wire with Chrystal Believer in front, Minutes Hand digging in, and now Charlemagnes Command moving fastest of all, but as they hit the wire, Chrystal Believer was not to be denied and we took the victory by a quarter length. Charlemagnes Command closed well to be second, with Minutes Hand third. L A Law showed a late foot to grab the fourth spot, a neck in front of Never Met Me. Combat Wombat was sixth, Man Childe seventh, Veritas Aequitas eighth, Hang Up ninth and Keep A Secret closed this one out.
Chrystal Believer is a 4yo chestnut colt by Chrystal Coin – You Gotta Believer, by Walkin Dead, and he was bred in PA by his owner, Maxmillion Farm. This was his fifth win from twenty-one starts, his first win of the 2020 season, and his fourth graded stakes victory. Congrats to Max and to Chrystal Believer.
$2 Mutuel Prices:
| 2 – Chrystal Believer | 33.60 | 16.40 | 9.30 |
| 4 – Charlemagnes Command | 7.80 | 4.50 | |
| 3 – Minutes Hand | 4.30 |
Track: Fast Time: :473 1:11 1:35 1:472
$1 Exacta: 2 – 4 Paid 147.50 $1 Trifecta: 2 – 4 – 3 Paid 1,183.10
Scratched: Lucky Kommand, Devilish Details, Magne Account(L)
Chrystal Believer showed good early speed from the inside, moved up on the turn taking over into the lane, clear inside the furlong marker, took on challenger and won driving. Charlemagnes Command rated back after the start, content to stay under wraps to the far turn moving forward through the lane and closed full of run. Minutes Hand moved up on the clubhouse turn to take the lead, in front until headed into the lane, out-finished. L A Raw had a wide trip, best foot too late. Never Met Me was very wide early, even effort. Combat Wombat saved ground to no avail. Man Childe tracked the pace to the far turn, tired. Veritas Aequitas broke alertly, on or near the pace to the far turn, tired. Hang Up was never involved. Keep A Secret was outrun.
Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES
