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Chatain dominates Hal's Hope Lazy F Ranch's CHATAIN (Forest Wildcat) moved into contention turning for home and effortlessly inhaled his foes in impressively taking the $100,000 Hal's Hope H. (G3) for the second consecutive year at Gulfstream Park on Sunday. The Angel Penna, Jr. trainee broke well but was content to sit well off the early pace established by longshot Rexson's Rose (Suave Prospect), who recorded splits of :23 3/5, :46 3/5 and 1:11 1/5 for the opening six panels. Jockey Cornelio Velasquez angled Chatain four wide on the turn, and after briefly bumping Actin Good (Yes It's True) in midstretch, his mount swiftly put away his rivals. Chatain drew clear by 2 1/2 lengths while completing one mile in 1:36 1/5 on the fast track. The 7-5 choice gave back $4.80, $3.40 and $2.80 while keying the $1 gimmicks: $74.80 exacta, $946.90 trifecta and $10,075.50 superfecta (10-7-9-12). "He's a very good horse, but frustrating too," Penna admitted of the fragile Chatain. "He's had problems with his feet, but also has been accident prone. The only time he was really able to put two races together was here last winter, when he won the Hal's Hope and ran a very good race (when fourth) in the Donn (H. [G1]), but caught the best horse in the world, Invasor (Arg)." Miner's Lamp (Seeking the Gold) split horses leaving the far turn and finished well to gain the place at nearly 63-1. The runner-up paid $39.40 and $18.80. Actin Good tracked the pace on the outside, took a momentary lead heading into the stretch and finished a clear third, 2 3/4 lengths in front of his nearest foe. Show paid $7 for the nearly 20-1 shot. Yes He's the Man (Yes It's True) concluded the superfecta at 19-1 and was followed by Olympic (Danzig), Dr Googles Boogles (Richter Scale), Rexson's Rose, A. J. Melini (Matty G), Pop Goes the Tiger (Tiger Ridge), 9-5 second choice Timber Reserve (Forest Camp) and Elite Squadron (Officer). Commentator (Distorted Humor) and Notgonagetemtoday (D. J. Cat) were withdrawn. Chatain improved his fine mark to 9-6-1-0, $276,330. The five-year-old bay has now won three straight, including the William Livingston S. and a smart allowance/optional claiming score at Saratoga. The talented Kentucky-bred began his career with a sharp win over this oval, followed that up with a game second behind eventual Grade 1 hero Showing Up (Strategic Mission) in his second start, and concluded his sophomore season with a resounding allowance tally at Meadowlands. After taking the Hal's Hope in track record time in his 2007 bow, Chatain took the lead in midstretch in the Donn before tiring to fourth, and finished unplaced in the Ben Ali S. (G3) in his lone try over a synthetic surface at Keeneland. The winner was bred by Stonerside Stable and produced from the multiple stakes-winning Roujoleur (Red Ransom), who is also responsible for an unnamed two-year-old colt by Lucky Lionel. Chatain was purchased for $250,000 at the 2004 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August Yearling sale. "It's hard to plan too far ahead because of his various problems," Penna said, "but one possibility will be the mile race in Dubai (Godolphin Mile [UAE-G2] on March 29). No more two-turn races. If not that race, then maybe the seven-eighths here later in the meet (March 8 Richter Scale Sprint H. [G2])."
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