As perplexing as the race for leadership among 3-year-old males on the dirt may be, their turf brethren seem equally aim to stage a crazy battle for supremacy.
Fourteen 3-year-old marijuana runners, representing the United States, Europe and Japan, lined up at Belmont Park July 6 to get the $1 million, Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes and, true for this year’s baffling form, a success by a 20-1 shot that was 13th at the wagering produced a result that triggered a $8,901 trifecta payout for $2. «After today, there is certainly some confusion with this group,» said Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, who understands the confusion at both ends of the 3-year-old branch. Not only does he train Country House, who was announced the winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, but in the Belmont Derby he sent out Juddmonte Farms’ Seismic Wave, the 9-2 favored who finished fifth behind the victorious $43.60 longshot, Bloom Racing Stable’s Henley’s Joy.
«It was spectacular,» owner Jeffrey Bloom stated.
Spectacular, on certain levels, since the first leg of the New York Racing Association’s inaugural Turf Trinity made a wide-open gambling race that probably raised more questions regarding the 3-year-old turf branch than answers.
Or did it?
«Hopefully we will make it a simpler situation to select the best 3-year-old turfer once the Turf Trinity is over,» Bloom said about the 3-year-old trained by Mike Maker. «We are off to a fantastic start.»
The Turf Trinity proceeds Aug. 4 with the $1 million Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and finishes with the $1 million Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park Sept. 7.
Bloom explained the son of Kitten’s Joy is a move for the next leg after finally exercising a winning trip after a series of misadventures, like the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge Stakes when he finished a wide, bumpy fourth.
«I sound like a broken record, but he has had so many races at which he’d nothing go his way, and I mean from start to finish. The Pennine Ridge was just another example of a trip that is dreadful. He did not lose by much but he never got an opportunity to run,» Bloom said. «I feel great for the horse. He’s such a nice horse and he tries really hard. I’m glad he got to showcase his talents on the big stage.» For BBN Racing’s and Ashbrook Farm Concrete Rose, 2019 is a year to remember.
Already a three-time graded stakes winner when she walked onto the Belmont Park turf for the first time July 6, the daughter of Twirling Candy left everything on the racecourse and picked up her first Grade 1 score at the $750,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes.
«I feel like a champagne bottle that has been shaken up and not opened,» Bo Bromagen of Ashbrook told a representative of Fasig-Tipton. «This is beyond my expectations, but you fantasy for it. »»
The invader making her first launch stateside for proprietor Tadakazu Obama, jodie, took the lead in the 1 1/4-mile test. Concrete Rose and normal rider Julien Leparoux stalked in minute off the rail followed by Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf victress Newspaperofrecord who was standing on the inside and then tipped out to the two route since Irad Ortiz Jr. worked to find a firm hold. The move forced Cafe Americano out eight-wide inducing Coral Beach and Just Wonderful to check.
Settling down for a drive near the peak of the stretch, Concrete Rose took control a furlong from the wire, kicked dwelling, and crossed the end 2??3/4 lengths in front in 1:59.97.
«I thought [trainer] Chad [Brown]’s horse [Newspaperofrecord] would be about the lead unless they arrived for her, but I guess today they attempted something new and took her back a little bit,» Leparoux said. «The Japanese horse [Jodie] wanted to proceed, so I was pleased to be instant and my filly comfy beautiful for me the entire race. I knew at the quarter-pole, I had a whole lot left. She left a run. It was nice.» — Meredith Daugherty
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