The Sleepy Hollow ($250.000 Purse)
BEL- For Two Year Olds Foaled in NY
One Mile on the Dirt
October 21, 2017

In the 12th running of the Sleepy Hollow, there was a Zombie attack! Fortunately, we are all safe, as it was in the form of Zombie City, who decided that winning maidens were overrated, and picks up his first career win here. The fact that he was a maiden was the main reason that I did not make him one of my picks, his career had shown plenty of promise leading up to that, especially after a second place run in the Bongard, here at BEL. The winning trainer is Pan Farms, his first win in the stake, and A A Gallardo tastes Sleepy Hollow victory for the first time as well. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:35.06. Let’s look at a little more now.

(1/4 Mile- :23.70)- Hard To Deny will not be denied early on for trainer Mb Stables. He jumps out to the lead, and is able to pull away by a length to be able to move over to the rail. Closed behind him were three stalkers, all of whom started in the inside three positions: Sandset (Team 7 Illusions), our eventual winner Zombie City (Pan Farms), and Tourist (D J C Racing Stables). They were all just a length and a half back. It was another length to Creep City II (D J C Racing Stables), and Caydens Camel (Aer Stables); and yet another to Jolly Foggy (Asgar) and Simple Request (Barcelona Farms) as no one seemed to drop far out of it early.

(½ Mile- :47.55)- As the field runs down the backstretch, we see both Zombie City and Tourist make their moves on Hard To Deny. While both are running well, Zombie City is looking particularly sharp here, and pulls into the lead as they prepare to take on the turn. Tourist is in the three wide position, and staying with them. A gap of two and a half lengths opens up behind them as Sandset drops out of it. From the back, longshot Simple Request started moving forward, doing this with a three wide move. Caydens Camel was still in a good spot on the track, but had not yet attempted an advance. Creep City II and Jolly Foggy were now the trailers.

(Top OF Stretch- 1.7F To Go)- It was very exciting to watch Zombie City pull away in the stretch. His mastery of handling the turn, which must get the trainer excited about how his two year old will grow as the distances get greater. At the top of the stretch, he had opened up by two lengths. Hard To Deny and Tourist, each who had been running with him at the top of the turn could not handle the bite of this zombie’s talent. Further back, Caydens Camel, about midway into the turn, starting moving forward and looked like he may be the biggest threat. Simple Request did not move forward as quickly as I anticipated. Sandset relentlessly came down on Creep City II on exit of the turn, but before that was because Creep City II’s stablemate, Tourist was dropping back too quickly, and into his lane. Jolly Foggy was looking overwhelmed and again struggling at this level.

(Finish- 1:35.06)- Things got surprisingly interesting in the stretch. While Zombie City seemed to be in good shape on the rail, the outside push of Caydens Camel and Simple Request saw each of them gain ground. Now, Simple Request was running the best he had all race. It seemed as though this would be a battle for second place, until about midway through the stretch, when it looked like Zombie City was laboring. The distance was getting smaller and smaller, and now the push of Caydens Camel and Simple Request was potentially going to be for the all out victory. Simple Request pulled about a half length ahead of Caydens Camel as Zombie City and Pan Farms screamed for the wire to hurry up. That plea would be answered, and Zombie City hangs on. If Simple Request did not have to be so wide, this may have been a lot different, but he settles for second, with Caydens Camel third. Creep City II saved his best for last to get a fourth place check, a bit ahead of Sandset. Next would be the tiring Tourist, and Hard To Deny.
Oh yeah, and eventually Jolly Foggy.

About The Winner: Zombie City, trained by Pan Farms and ridden by A A Gallardo, is a two year old gelding by City Of Angels and out of Zombie Island. He was bred in New York by Pan Farms, the only trainer for which he has ever known! The win was his first career victory in five starts, going along with three seconds. His career earnings are now $200.200.

Track: Fast
Time: :23³  :47²  1:10³  1:35

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 2 – 8 Paid 296.70
$1 Trifecta: 2 – 8 – 7 Paid 1,141.60

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded