|
|
Bluegrass Cat struts his stuff in Haskell WinStar Farm's homebred BLUEGRASS CAT (Storm Cat) overcame the widest post and his eight foes with ease en route to a seven-length thrashing in the $1,030,000 Haskell Invitational H. (G1) at Monmouth Park on Sunday. Breaking alertly from the nine hole under John Velazquez, the three-year-old colt was four wide early as Praying for Cash (Songandaprayer) led the field. The pacesetter got his initial quarter in :23 3/5, then opened up by four lengths through a half-mile in :47 2/5. Approaching the far turn, Bluegrass Cat took dead aim on Praying for Cash, and those two set sail for home as the rest of the field began to lose touch, but there was no question who was the winner after they straightened. Sent off as the even-money favorite, the Todd Pletcher pupil soon drew off, clocking a mile in 1:36 3/5, and the only question left was how much the blueblood would win by. "I wanted to be close to the pace," Velazquez said. "We were able to get good position going down the backstretch, and he was pulling on me just waiting for me to ask him to run. When I called on him, that was it. He really just took off, went right by that other horse (Praying for Cash) turning for home. He did the whole thing really easily. It was a very impressive race from him." Pletcher gave his colt's performance a rave review. "His performance today is as good as any three-year-old's this year," Pletcher said. "To win a Grade 1 as significant as the Haskell puts him in the elite category as a racehorse and prospective sire. "He's been doing so well since (his second in) the Belmont Stakes (G1)," Pletcher noted, "that we were enthusiastic about this race, although you never envision something as dominating as this." The final time for the nine furlongs on the fast track was a very solid 1:48 4/5, and the winner gave back $4, $2.80 and $2.40 in earning his first Grade 1 win. Praying for Cash, who was attempting to give jockey Joe Bravo his sixth win of the day, had no answer for the winner but was well clear in second in a creditable runner-up effort. The 9-1 third choice paid $5 and $3 while completing the $40.60 exacta. "This horse ran awesome," Bravo said. "Down the backside, I had lots of horse, and all I could think about was the gold. This is a great horse." Strong Contender (Maria's Mon), who was in tight early among horses, made a move wide turning for home but was never a real threat to the top pair. The 2-1 second choice was worth $2.60. Another 4 1/4 lengths back in fourth came Victory Lake (Victory Gallop), who closed from off the pace at 52-1. The $1 exotics were worth $47.10 (trifecta) and $618.50 (9-5-3-6 superfecta). Electrify (Delaware Township), Awfully Smart (Anees), Flashy Bull (Holy Bull), Deputy Glitters (Deputy Commander) and Little Cliff (Gulch) rounded out the order of finish. Bluegrass Cat continues to be a major force in the three-year-old ranks and posted arguably his finest performance to date. The classy colt now boasts an impressive mark of 10-5-3-0 and, with the $600,000 winner's share, his earnings have soared to $1,561,280. His previous stakes wins came in the Remsen S. (G2), Nashua S. (G3) and Sam F. Davis S. The homebred was an excellent second in the Belmont last out, which followed a runner-up performance in the Kentucky Derby (G1), and he also placed in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3). Bred in Kentucky, the winner is out of the unraced She's A Winner (A.P. Indy) and was preceded in graded glory by his half-brother, Lord of the Game (Saint Ballado), who scored in last year's Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Breeders' Cup H. (G2) and Hanshin Cup H. (G3). She's A Winner counts herself a full sister to Grade 3 winner and sire Accelerator and Grade 2 winner Daydreaming, as well as a half-sister to recent stakes hero Harborage (Monarchos). Bluegrass Cat has a trio of unraced full siblings, the two-year-old colt Sonoma Cat, an unnamed yearling colt and an unnamed 2006 filly. Pletcher is keeping his options open regarding the August 26 Travers S. (G1). "We only have 20 days to the Travers," the trainer said, "which gives the horses who ran in the Jim Dandy (S. [G2] on July 29) an extra day (sic) on us. We'll let him tell us how he bounces out of this."
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
