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Will He Shine does just that in True North
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Will He Shine was true blue at Belmont on Saturday
(Patrick Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com) |
When the gates opened on Saturday's $200,000
True North S. (G2) at Belmont Park, Keyed Entry (Honour and Glory)
quickly moved to the fore while running just off the rail. To his
outside was even-money favorite Bordonaro (Memo [Chi]) while WILL HE
SHINE (Silver Deputy) was content to settle in a good stalking position
on the inside. All of that changed within a few strides going around the
turn.
With jockey John Velazquez desperately trying to keep Keyed Entry
running in a straight line, the four-year-old insisted on bearing out,
carrying Bordonaro and Richard Migliore with him and leaving the way wide open for Will He
Shine to move up. Edgar Prado quickly took advantage, sending Will He
Shine through to take over in a quick :44 1/5 half. From there, there
was no catching the Savario Pugliese and Marc Wexler colorbearer, as
Will He Shine crossed under the finish line 1 3/4 lengths in front of
his closest rival.
"We told (Edgar Prado) in the paddock to just send him, don't try to
rate and make one run," trainer Dale Romans said. "(Will He
Shine) took the race to
them when it opened up and held them all off. I don't think he wants you
to mess with him. He just wants to run."
Sent off at 10-1, Will He Shine finished six furlongs on the fast
dirt in 1:08 3/5 and rewarded his backers with payouts of $22.80, $9.50
and $6.10. Suave Jazz (Suave Prospect) came from the back to take second
by a half-length over entrymate Dashboard Drummer (Alamocitos), with
each returning $7.20 and $6.70 at 7-1 while ending the $135 exacta.
Council Member (Seattle Slew) was another neck back in fourth,
completing the $577 trifecta (4-1-2) at 4-1. |
Finishing out the order under the wire were Sir Five Star (Five Star Day),
Joey P. (Close Up), Bordonaro and Keyed Entry.
"That horse (Keyed Entry) was bolting," said Bordonaro's trainer, Bill Spawr.
"Richie said he had to use (Bordonaro) to keep up there and to keep that other
horse in; otherwise, he was going to wipe us out. He just lost too much ground."
Will He Shine earned his first stakes score here, but entered this race with
a third in last year's Gravesend H. (G3) as well as this season's Churchill
Downs S. (G2) and Forego S. The Romans trainee, who began his career in
Todd Pletcher's barn, moved his line to 12-5-2-3 and has now earned $309,241.
Bred in Kentucky by Verne H. Winchell, Will He Shine is out of the winning
Christmas Star (Star de Naskra), who is also the dam of 2003 Futurity S. (G1)
victor Cuvee (Carson City) and an unraced juvenile filly named Catera (Gone
West). The True North winner brought $650,000 as a Keeneland September yearling
before selling to his current connections for $290,000 at the 2005 Keeneland
November sale.
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