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Take of Ekati takes Cigar via disqualification
Monterey Jazz (Thunderello), the 3-1 favorite, sprinted to the fore when the gates opened and established wicked early splits in :22 4/5, :45 1/5 and 1:09 2/5 while being chased by Storm Play (Smart Strike) and Wanderin Boy. Tale of Ekati enjoyed the perfect trip in fourth, more than five lengths off the pace, through the opening half-mile before beginning to advance along the rail on the far turn. Harlem Rocker closed from a little farther back and displayed a quicker turn of foot while taking the overland route into the stretch, striking the front and quickly opening up a two-length lead, but Tale of Ekati was still steadily gaining along the inside. Eibar Coa and Harlem Rocker came over in midstretch and nearly had enough room to get away with it, but they crowded Tale of Ekati, forcing Prado to briefly steady and guide his mount to the outside. Tale of Ekati kept on charging, collaring his rival in the final strides before losing the head bob on the finish line. The final time over the fast Big A track was 1:35. Harlem Rocker's connections were not pleased with the outcome. "(Tale of Ekati) didn't appear to really check and he had every opportunity to go by our horse," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "And, in my opinion, he was never going by. It's a tough call in a Grade 1." "You see the same kind of separation happening over and over again," Coa explained. "I didn't think (Prado) had to stop riding to go around me." Tagg felt the disqualification was justified. "I could see it happening; (Harlem Rocker) took the lane away from us," the conditioner noted. Sent off the near 9-1 seventh choice among nine rivals, Tale of Ekati returned $19.80, $9.40 and $5.90 to his backers. Harlem Rocker, the longest shot on the board at 9-1, gave back $9.70 and $6.30 while completing the $142.50 exacta. The fast-finishing Bribon (Fr) (Mark of Esteem [Ire]) finished three-quarters of length back in third at 8-1 and paid $7.10, and it was a head back to the 5-1 Arson Squad (Brahms), who was also rolling late. The trifecta totaled $1,213, and the 5-3-4-2 superfecta was good for $8,866. Kodiak Kowboy (Posse), Storm Play, Monterey Jazz and Visionaire (Grand Slam) came next under the wire. The Kentucky-bred winner was produced by Silence Beauty (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), herself a half-sister to champion Sky Beauty (Blushing Groom [Fr]), a nine-time Grade 1 queen and earner of more than $1.3 million. Tale of Ekati's second dam is multiple Grade 1 heroine Maplejinsky (Nijinsky II), who is a half-sister to 1990 English Horse of the Year Dayjur (Danzig). This is the family of 2005 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) victress Pleasant Home (Seeking the Gold), the ill-fated multiple Grade 1 winner Pine Island (Arch) and multiple Grade 2 heroine Boca Grande (A.P. Indy). Tale of Ekati has a pair of half-siblings by Perfect Soul (Ire), a juvenile colt named Ya Gotta Have Soul and a 2008 filly. Besides the aforementioned Wood and Jerome, the bay colt also owns a victory in the Futurity S. (G2) and a second in the Sanford S. (G2) last year. Tale of Ekati became Thoroughbred racing's newest millionaire on Saturday, increasing his bankroll to $1,052,758 from a 12-5-1-0 record.
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