|
Can't Beat It outclasses Calder Derby rivals
 | |
Can't Beat It lives up to his name at Calder
(Jim Lisa Photos) |
Live Oak Plantation's homebred CAN'T BEAT IT (Atticus) looked to have the
upper hand on paper in Saturday's $200,000
Calder
Derby (G3), and so it played out in the actual running of the grassy 1
1/8-mile event. Uncorking a sweeping move on the far turn, the Marty Wolfson
trainee collared his entrymate Elizabul (Eltish) at the top of the stretch and
drew off to record an authoritative 3 1/4-length tally in a final time of 1:48
3/5 on good turf.The break offered more drama than the stretch drive, as Famous Frolic
(Charismatic) swerved left from his rail post, nearly unseating rider Raymundo
Fuentes, and at the opposite end of the field, Elizabul was bumped by rivals on
both sides and briefly squeezed back. Meanwhile, How's Your Halo (Halo's Image)
sprinted to a clear lead through testing fractions of :23 1/5, :46 4/5 and 1:11
2/5. The rest of the pack caught up with the pacesetter late on the backstretch,
and although Elizabul stuck his head in front between calls turning for home,
Can't Beat It was traveling ominously well as he ranged up into contention and
swept past beneath Rene Douglas.
"Rene rode him perfectly today," Wolfson said. "He has a good fuse -- it just
has to be timed right. I really thought he had these horses over a barrel
today."
Croton Road (Mr. Greeley) closed late to catch Elizabul for second by
three-quarters of a length, with Murch (Mr. Greeley) also doing his best work in
the stretch to grab fourth. Fancy Silver (The Silver Move), World Battle (Double
Honor), Famous Frolic, Desert Wheat (Wheaton), Gin Rummy King (Double Honor),
How's Your Halo and Jet Propulsion (Double Honor) completed the order under the
wire. Rehoboth (Wagon Limit) was scratched and ran in the Spend a Buck H. (G3)
instead.
|
Sent off as the 6-5 favorite, the entry of Can't Beat It and Elizabul
returned $4.40, $3 and $4.20. Croton Road gave back $8.20 and $7.60 at 10-1,
ending the $34 exacta. Because the winner's entrymate was third, fourth-place finisher Murch completed the $129 trifecta, and fifth-placer
Famous Frolic rounded out the 1-6-5-4 superfecta that totaled $1,708.20.
With this first graded stakes on his resume, Can't Beat It's mark now reads
13-4-1-2 with $207,960 to his credit. The dark bay had captured the Hallandale
Beach S. at Gulfstream Park in February, then attempted the dirt in the Fountain
of Youth S. (G2) and wound up sixth. After a three-month freshening, Can't Beat
It finished seventh in his reappearance in the Colonial Turf Cup S. Last time
out, he rallied strongly for second in the American Derby (G2), only to be
disqualified and relegated to last because of a medication violation.
The Kentucky-bred dark bay sophomore was produced by the unraced Uhavethebeat
(Unbridled), whose latest progeny are a yearling filly by Johannesburg named
Kwanewi and a 2006 weanling filly by Eltish. Can't Beat It's second dam is
eight-time stakes queen Feel the Beat (Shimatoree), the winner of the 1990
Ballerina S. (G1) at Saratoga.
Send this article to a friend
| 
