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Midnight Lute runs hoops around Perryville field The highly regarded MIDNIGHT LUTE (Real Quiet) was making his stakes and Polytrack debut, as well as his first start outside of Del Mar, in Friday's $200,000 Perryville S. (G3) at Keeneland. Belying his relative inexperience, the Bob Baffert sophomore handled everything like a seasoned professional and drew off by 4 3/4 commanding lengths. With regular pilot Victor Espinoza at the controls, Midnight Lute finished the seven-furlong, 184-foot contest in 1:24 1/5 to set a new track record on the recently installed synthetic surface. Espinoza rated his mount off the rapid early pace of :22 4/5 and :45 1/5 dictated by Mach Ride (Pentelicus), who was under stiff pressure from several foes. Lewis Michael (Rahy) survived that war of attrition among the pace prompters to put his head in front at the top of the stretch. A threatening Midnight Lute, however, was angling out six wide to deliver his challenge and, in midstretch, he collared Lewis Michael and strode out powerfully to the line. "We've always thought (Midnight Lute) was a monster," Baffert said. "He had some throat problems early on, but we healed those and now he really is starting to show his stuff. I was glad he got the trip. He liked the Polytrack. Good horses seem to take their track with them. Victor rode him perfectly." "Down the stretch when he turned for home, he really kicked it in," Espinoza said. "He finished really strong and went by the other horses really easy. He really likes to go, but I didn't want him too close to the pace." Lewis Michael kept on for a clear second, three lengths ahead of a rallying Court Folly (Royal Academy). The 5-2 favorite, High Finance (Talk Is Money), closed mildly for fourth, just a head astern of third. Praying for Cash (Songandaprayer), Sailors Sunset (Petionville), Reigning Court (Glitterman), Mach Ride, Latent Heat (Maria's Mon), Likely (Yes It's True) and Fabled (Tale of the Cat) rounded out the order under the wire. Vanilla Scoop (Souvenir Copy) was scratched. Dispatched as the fifth choice in the wagering at 7-1, Midnight Lute returned $16.20, $8.60 and $6.20. The nearly 8-1 Lewis Michael yielded $8 and $5, completing the $146.40 exacta. Court Folly gave back $4.40 at odds approaching 7-1, ending the $1,122 trifecta. With favored High Finance in fourth, the 3-9-4-12 superfecta totaled $4,415.60. Owned by Watson & Weitman Performances & Pegram, Midnight Lute improved his record to 4-3-1-0 while boosting his bankroll to $212,600. After breaking his maiden impressively in his career debut at Del Mar last July, the dark bay went to the sidelines for almost exactly one year. Reappearing at that seaside track this July, he was a late charging second to Sailors Sunset after bobbling at the break. Last time out, he captured an entry-level allowance by 3 1/2 lengths. The winner was bred in Kentucky by Tom Evans, Macon Wilmil Equines and Marjac Farms. After selling for $70,000 as a yearling at the 2004 Keeneland September Sale, Midnight Lute RNA'ed for $290,000 at the 2005 OBS March Two Year-Olds in Training Sale. Out of the unraced Dehere mare Candy Tuft, he is a half-brother to an unnamed yearling filly by Gilded Time and a weanling colt by Sir Cherokee. Midnight Lute's second dam is Grade 3 queen Bolt from the Blue (Blue Times).
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