It’s nice to be King….   There’s no doubt about it!  The man, and there is no myth, just facts.  Gone from the game for quite some time, Australia Wide proved that he knows how to train and knows when to push the button on a horse.  Tundra Kenny, sent off as the nearly 3/1 favorite in Saturday’s BC Turf (GI) made a relentless push down the lane to win by a half length in a final time of 2:25.35 and taking home the lion’s share of the $3,000.000 purse.  Desolation Island carried the colors of Mb Stables along with War Scent in third and Stormy Kg in fourth.

  The full field of fourteen were away in good order with Stormy Kg coming away well from the inside, Steel Moon, Titan and Eve Of Destruction from the outside, El Gran Jet, Breiterate and Sri Lanka from the middle of the track.  Turon Warrior a length off of that lead pack, Desolation Island next to that one, Bombastic Kathology on his flank, Tundra Kenny and Tons Of Dough from the inside, War Scent and long-shot Skipping Stone was the early trailer.

Around the run and by the stands the first time, the opening half went in a brisk :46.94, with Stormy Kg leading the way by three lengths.  El Gran Jet, Eve Of Destruction and Steel  Moon lined up in chase, Turon Warrior was two lengths off of that trio, then a length to Breiterate, Titan caught five wide, Sri Lanka back towards the inside and Desolation Island.  Gap of two to Bombastic Kathology, Tundra Kenny still hugging the rail, then a gap of three to War Scent,, another length to Tons Of Dough and Skipping Stone was still at the back of the pack.

Around the clubhouse turn and now midway down the backside, the opening six furlongs in 1:10.53, they had four and a half furlongs to run and Stormy Kg was in front by almost three lengths.  El Gran Jet up the rail, Eve Of Destruction three wide and Steel Moon between horses.  Another length back to Turon Warrior, Titan caught five wide, with Breiterate on the rail, Sri Lanka between horses and Desolation Island three wide.  Gap of two back to Bombastic Kathology, Tundra Kenny a length behind that one, then five lengths back to War Scent, and Tons Of Dough and Skipping Stone were the trailing pair seventeen lengths from the front end.

Now moving around the far turn and to the top of the lane, past the three-sixteenth’s pole and headed for home, Stormy Kg still in front by a length and a half, but drifting into the middle of the track.  El Gran Jet up the rail and a clear second, two lengths back to Steel Moon, Turon Warrior, Tundra Kenny from the extreme outside, and Titan, forming a wall.  Eve Of Destruction just in behind that group, Sri Lanka back towards the inside, Breiterate on the rail, Bombastic Kathology next, then War Scent caught wide and Skipping Stone still at the rear and nine lengths from the leader.

Now inside the sixteen pole and to the finish, Tundra Kenny from the rail post but now in front from the center of the track.  Stormy Kg fighting on, Desolation Island now up into the mix, El Gran Jet looking tired from the rail, Turon Warrior continuing to press forward, War Scent and Titan wide with Steel Moon up the inside…  but as they went through the final 150-yards and to the finish, this was all about Tundra Kenny as he held off Desolation Island to win by a half-length.  War Scent closed well to be third, and Stormy Kg tired a bit to be fourth.  Turon Warrior was a neck back in fifth, then El Gran Jet in sixth, Titan was seventh in a dead-heat with Skipping Stone.  Steel Moon was ninth, Sri Lanka in tenth, Bombastic Kathology in eleventh, Tons Of Dough in twelfth, Even Of Destruction thirteenth and Breiterate was last in the field of fourteen.

Tundra Kenny is a 3yo bay colt by Natural Drummer – Kaycees Lafffin, by  Laffin Stormtropper, and he was bred in Cal by Fronzen Tundra.  Purchased privately for $275.000 by Australia Wide back in April of this year, he’s won four of five starts under the guiding hand of “The King” and now shows five wins from twelve starts and earnings of $2,678.540.  Congratulations to Tundra Kenny and his connections, Australia Wide.

$2 Mutuel Prices: 

Track: Firm        Time: :46⁴  1:10²  1:59³  2:25¹ 
$1 Exacta: 1 – 9 Paid 78.50        $1 Trifecta: 1 – 9 – 8 Paid 407.10 
Scratched: Foggy Vision, Ponder, Vanderbilt, Whiskey Wings 

Tundra Kenny in hand early while saving ground, moved off rail with a half to run, swung out for the drive, up to lead, held sway, won driving.  Desolation Island mid-pack, ridden along while three wide, responded when asked, game effort.  War Scent taken back, under a firm hold, game through the lane, held show.  Stormy Kg away well from the inside, set the pace til mid lane, could not go on.  Turon Warrior mid-pack and three wide, in contention late, could find no more.  El Gran Jet up close early, up to contend for the lead with two furlongs to run, nothing left for the drive.  Titan early speed, no excuse.  Skipping Stone off a step slow, passed tiring rivals.  Steel Moon broke sharply from the outside, tracked the pace, no threat.  Sri Lanka mid-pack for a mile, tired.  Bombastic Kathology showed little, outrun.  Tons Of Dough no factor, outrun.  Eve Of Destruction tracked the early pace while wide, tired from those efforts.  Breiterate some early speed, tired.

Categories: BC 2015-17, THE BREEDERS CUP