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Eskendereya wins with ease in the Fountain of Youth
Lost Aptitude cleared the field from his outside draw and set splits of :23 3/5 and :47 4/5. Though he set comfortable fractions, Lost Aptitude backed out quickly approaching the far turn and Eskendereya took over through six furlongs in 1:12 2/5. Jackson Bend, the 5-2 second choice, challenged from the outside while Aikenite, at 7-1, angled out in the lane after saving ground throughout. None of them could get close to the winner, however, who extended his dominance through the lane. Jackson Bend held off Aikenite for second by three parts of a length, returning $3.60 and $2.10. Aikenite gave back $3.60 after finishing a length ahead of 50-1 outsider Pleasant Prince (Indy King). The exacta was worth $35.20, the trifecta $151, and the 8-5-1-4 superfecta paid $1,404.40. Next under the wire were Ice Box (Pulpit), Pulsion (Include), Positive Split (Repent), Prince Will I Am (Victory Gallop), Buddy's Saint and Lost Aptitude. "You've got to be excited when they perform like that in these kind of races at this time of year," Pletcher said. "He's had two wins over the track here now, so the Florida Derby ([G1] on March 20) would seem logical for him, but we will consider all the options." Runner-up in his debut over the turf at Saratoga on Labor Day, Eskendereya was entered for the turf again in the Pilgrim S. at Belmont Park on October 4. When that race was moved off the grass and on to dirt due to inclement weather, Eskendereya dominated his four rivals by 7 1/4 lengths. Only ninth over Pro-Ride in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) after encountering trouble heading into the clubhouse turn, Eskendereya rebounded to take a nine-furlong allowance at Gulfstream by 1 1/4 lengths on January 7. With this tally, the chestnut improved his mark to 5-3-1-0, $275,700. Bred in Kentucky by Sanford Robertson, Eskendereya was a $250,000 Keeneland September purchase. Out of Aldebaran Light (Seattle Slew), a half-sister to Grade 2 hero Blazonry (Hennessy), Eskendereya counts as a half-brother Balmont (Stravinsky), who captured the Middle Park S. (Eng-G1) and Gimcrack S. (Eng-G2) in 2003. He also has a juvenile half-sister named Wear Red (Henny Hughes) and yearling half-sister by First Samurai. Eskendereya's fourth dam was Queen Sucree (*Ribot), the dam of 1974 Kentucky Derby winner Cannonade (Bold Bidder) and the ancestress of Grade 1-winning full siblings Stephan's Odyssey (Danzig) and Lotka (Danzig). Queen Sucree herself was a half-sister to the multiple champion Tosmah (Tim Tam) and the Grade 1-winning Halo (Hail to Reason), the sire of Kentucky Derby winners Sunny's Halo and Sunday Silence. All were out of Broodmare of the Year Cosmah (Cosmic Bomb).
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