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Hyperbaric leads throughout in Citation Prestonwood Racing's HYPERBARIC (Sky Classic) had been chasing a few of the West Coast's premier turf horses earlier this season, but after his wire-to-wire victory in Friday's $400,000 Citation H. (G1) at Hollywood Park, he has become a full-fledged member of the elite club. The change in his fortunes coincided with a change in tactics. Once a stalker, the Julio Canani trainee has been up on the pace of late, and now has a four-race winning streak to show for it. With Tyler Baze taking over from Garrett Gomez, who decided to stick with even-money favorite Whatsthescript (Ire) (Royal Applause [GB]), Hyperbaric gunned straight to the front. He had company early, especially from Formal Decree (Ger) (Diktat), but he soon spurted away entering the first turn to post an opening quarter in :24. From that point on, Hyperbaric enjoyed a comfortable lead while rattling off splits of :48 2/5 and 1:12 3/5. Although Formal Decree, Proudinsky (Ger) (Silvano [Ger]) and the late-running Whatsthescript all fanned out turning for home in hot pursuit, Hyperbaric was gone beyond recall. The bay gelding maintained a three-quarters of a length margin at the line, stopping the teletimer in 1:41 1/5 for 1 1/16 miles on the firm turf. Sent off as the third choice at 5-1, the winner returned $13, $6.20 and $4. Formal Decree, who chased in second throughout, held the runner-up spot by one length. The 9-2 second choice gave back $6.80 and $4. Becrux (Ity) (Glen Jordan) rallied smartly between foes to get his head down for third, paying $9 at 23-1. The $1 exacta was worth $30.50, and the $1 trifecta was good for $614.90. Proudinsky crossed the wire in fourth, just a nose in front of Medici Code (GB) (Medicean), to round out the 1-10-5-8 superfecta that totaled $3,150.60 ($1). Whatsthescript wound up a one-paced sixth, followed by Ferneley (Ire) (Ishiguru), Lord Admiral (El Prado [Ire]) and Rebellion (GB) (Mozart [Ire]). Galantas (Tale of the Cat) was scratched in favor of the December 6 Native Diver H. (G3). Hyperbaric has now earned $654,476 from his 12-7-2-2 line. The five-year-old fell a neck short of catching Daytona (Ire) (Indian Ridge) in the Arcadia H. (G2), finished third to that same rival in the Shoemaker Mile (G1), and was third to Whatsthescript in the American H. (G2). After getting a confidence-boosting allowance/optional claiming score, he broke through with his first stakes victory in the Harry F. Brubaker H. at Del Mar. Hyperbaric returned from a brief freshening to capture the Oak Tree Mile (G2), which guaranteed him a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1). Canani decided to pass, and point for the Citation, and his shrewd spotting was rewarded. Bred by W.J. Chamblin in Kentucky, Hyperbaric was a $10,000 bargain weanling at Keeneland November. He is out of the Grade 3-placed multiple stakes queen Teasing Charm (Skywalker), who is also responsible for an unraced juvenile colt named Brahms Gift (Brahms) and a weanling filly by E Dubai. This is the family of five-time Grade 1 star and millionaire Heatherten (Forceten) and current multiple Grade 3 hero Soldier's Dancer (Lost Soldier).
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