|
Ben's Cat courageous in Jim McKay; Miss Temple City,
Galiana win Pimlico stakes
 |
| Ben's Cat won the Jim McKay
Turf Sprint for the fourth time
(Horsephotos.com) |
Ben's Cat (Parker's Storm Cat) would not be denied in Friday's $100,000
Jim
McKay Turf Sprint, willing his way to a neck victory as the veteran gelding
proved he's still got it age nine. Trained by Hall of Fame inductee King
Leatherbury, Ben's Cat has now captured three straight, and four of the last
five editions, of the five-furlong turf test and boasts a remarkable 29 total
wins from 47 career starts.
It was a tough beat for runner-up Bold Thunder (Bold N' Flashy), who drifted
out in midstretch before coughing up a clear lead late to the hard-charging
Ben's Cat up the inside.
"In my mind, I thought that we would win, but I wasn't so sure at the
three-sixteenths pole," Leatherbury said. "Then again, when that horse drifted
out on us and we had to go inside, it's always tougher to get through on the
inside. But we got there just in time. Just like a Hollywood script would write
it."
Regular rider Julian Pimental echoed those sentiments. "In the stretch, I really wanted to stay outside, but the leader was getting
out," Pimenthal said. "So I said, 'OK, let's go inside.' It's really
unbelievable; he knows where the wire is. Right after we crossed the wire his
ears pricked up. He said, 'I'm done.'" |
Ben's Cat was exiting a non-threatening second to Bold Thunder in his 2015
bow, an April 17 allowance at Pimlico. Amelia's Wild Ride (d'Wildcat) finished
another 3 3/4 lengths back in third.
Favored at 2-1 among 10 rivals, Ben's Cat returned a $6.20 win mutuel after
stopping the teletimer in :56.04, just .34 seconds off the course record.
Campaigned by The Jim Stable, the dark bay Maryland-bred registered his 24th
stakes win and has now earned $2,296,005.
 |
| Miss Temple City will point
for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot
(Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club) |
The $100,000
Hilltop
for three-year-old fillies kicked off the stakes action on Friday and Miss
Temple City (Temple City) left no doubt about her superiority, rolling to a
convincing 2 3/4-length decision. The dark bay miss tracked pacesetter Lady Zuzu
(Dynaformer) in second before seizing control leaving the far turn and completed
the 1 1/16-mile turf affair in 1:41 4/5.
John Velazquez was up for trainer Graham Motion, who indicated a trip to
England was up next for the improving winner.
"I am really high on this filly," Motion said. "She just keeps getting better
and better. We really felt confident coming into this race because she just
missed in her last two. We're going to aim her for the Coronation (Eng-G1) at
Ascot (on June 19)."
"She was going so well that I was real comfortable with where she was early,"
Velazquez noted. "She was going at it really easy. Once I passed the horse on
the lead, I had to keep her a little busy because before the race she was
looking around and not really paying attention. During the race she was a
professional." |
Miss Temple paid $4.40 to win as the overwhelming 6-5 favorite versus six
foes. All in Fun (Tapit) got up late to edge Lady Zuzu for second.
Owned by Sagamore Farn, Allen Rosenblum and The Club Racing LLC, Miss Temple
City has raced exclusively on turf. She captured her first two starts, a maiden
special weight at Laurel Park in October and an entry-level allowance at
Gulfstream Park in mid-December, and the Kentucky-bred finished third when
making her stakes debut in the January 24 Sweetest Chant (G3).
She was exiting a second to the unbeaten Lady Eli (First Defence) in the
April 12 Appalachian (G3) at Keeneland.
With her first stakes triumph, Miss Temple City has now earned $138,300.
 |
| Galiana overtook the favorite to win the Skipat
(Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club) |
Triple R Stables' Galiana (Stonesider) overhauled 3-5 favorite Lady Sabelia
(Majestic Harbor) with less than furlong remaining and drew away to 2 3/4-length
score in the $100,000
Skipat.
Winner of the April 18 Primonetta at Pimlico, the five-year-old mare notched her
fifth career stakes victory when completing six furlongs in 1:11 on the fast
main track with Abel Lezcano.
"I was really nervous," trainer Rodolfo Romero said. "I was worried about the
favorite (Lady Sabelia), because she was really good. I was surprised my horse
was so close to the lead. But sometimes, you don't know what to expect from her.
She's very tough and she's getting very good."
The New York-bred winner stalked Lady Sabelia from the break.
"You look at the program and you see the speed in here today. At the start
she wanted to go early," Lezcano said. "She relaxed on the backstretch. At the
three-eighths she moved out and started going. She really ran well."
|
Grade 2 winner Lady Sabelia, who had a four-race win streak snapped when
retreating to last in her previous outing, the Madison (G1) at Keeneland, held
second by a two-length margin over She's Ordained (Ministers Wild Cat) in third.
The 5-1 third choice among eight fillies and mares, Galiana rewarded
supporters with a $12.40 win payout and her scorecard now reads 25-13-2-3,
$519,121.
The chestnut is now nine-for-13 at the six-furlong distance.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
Send this article to a friend
| 
