Monday, January 2, 2017
Gulfstream Park closed out the year with a bang, eclipsing both Aqueduct and Santa Anita in the mutuels department, at the same time unveiling another Todd Pletcher 2-year-old who will quickly be added to many Kentucky Derby 'horses to watch' lists and possibly draw a little attention at the Las Vegas books.
Gulfstream's all-sources handle Saturday was $11,760,283, compared to Aqueduct's just over $9 million and Santa Anita's nearly $9.5 million. On Sunday, Gulfstream followed it up with a handle of $8,347,916.
The Pletcher colt who turned some heads was Battalion Runner, a Kentucky-bred son of Unbridled's Song who went wire-to-wire in a seven-furlong maiden special under Johnny Velazquez, winning in a walk by nearly nine lengths in 1:22.82. His lone previous start had come at Belmont Park back on June 3, when he finished second behind the highly-regarded Super Saver colt, Random Walk, who then went on to finish second in the Gr. III Sanford at Saratoga behind Bitumen. Battalion Runner was sent off at odds of 30 cents to a dollar in his second start, paying $2.60.
From an Ocala standpoint, Niall and Stephanie Brennan had a good day at the Big A Saturday, as their Indian Soldier won a $25,000 claimer by three-quarters of a length. The 3-year-old gelding by Street Boss, owned and bred by the Brennans, went off at 7-1 and collected a check for $18,600.
At Santa Anita the same day, there was a dead heat for first in the $100,00, Gr. III Midnight Lute Stakes between St. Joe Bay and Solid Wager. St. Joe Bay is a 4-year-old gelding (just turned five) by Saint Anddan out of the Honor Glide mare Dream Ride. He was bred at Ocala's Bonnie Heath Farm by Bonnie and Kim Heath, who owned and raced multiple stakes-winner Honor Glide. St. Joe Bay was ridden by veteran Kent Desormeaux, and the pair dead-heated in 1:15.03 for the 5 1/2 furlongs.
BIONDETTI TOP FROSH SIRE - Florida's freshman sire race was a two-horse affair from the beginning and Woodford Thoroughbreds' Biondetti was the leader in both departments that count. The son of Bernardini edged Ocala Stud's Overdriven by number of winners, 10 to 9, and had it a little easier in the progeny earnings department, $400,000 to $335,495.
comments powered by