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Remarkable News prevails in spill-marred Dixie
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Remarkable News poached an unassailable lead in the Dixie
(Patrick Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com) |
Holly Rincon's REMARKABLE NEWS (Ven) (Chayim) inherited the lead in
Saturday's $250,000
Dixie S. (G2)
when pacesetter Mending Fences (Forestry)broke down late on the backstretch, and
the Angel Penna Jr. charge sustained his momentum all the way to the line to
record a three-quarters of a length victory. The final time for 1 1/8 miles on
the firm turf course was a sharp 1:46.36, just .02 seconds off the course
record.After breaking from post 11, jockey Ramon Dominguez was able to angle
Remarkable News over to the two-path in the opening furlong, setting up shop in
second while keeping Mending Fences in his sights. The leader had gunned to the
front from post 10 and quickly cleared the field, clocking :24 for the first
quarter and ratcheting up the tempo through a half in :46 3/5.
Mending Fences was still traveling well when he suffered his catastrophic
breakdown, unseating rider Eddie Castro. While Remarkable News was clear of the
incident, several other members of the field were significantly affected. The
nearly 5-2 favorite, Cosmonaut (Lemon Drop Kid), adroitly jumped over the fallen
horse, but as Einstein (Brz) (Spend a Buck) tried to avoid Castro, he stumbled
and ejected jockey Robby Albarado. Both Castro and Albarado appeared to have
escaped serious injury, and after the race, they walked off the course under
their own power.
Meanwhile, Remarkable News found himself with a five-length margin turning
for home, reeling off six furlongs in 1:10 1/5. Cosmonaut recovered smartly to
pose the only real threat in the lane, but the winner kept finding more to keep
him at bay.
Dispatched at nearly 6-1, Remarkable News returned $13.80, $6.40 and $4.60.
Cosmonaut gave back $3.80 and $3. It was another 2 3/4 lengths back to the 7-1
Outperformance (Aptitude), who steadied in the wake of Mending Fences' fall but
closed well to yield $5.20. The exotics totaled $49.80 (exacta), $388 (trifecta)
and $2,312 (12-3-10-5 superfecta) with the 12-1 Silver Tree (Hennessy) in
fourth. Next came Dreadnaught (Lac Ouimet), Woodlander (Forestry), Can't Beat It
(Atticus), Stay Close (GB) (Belong to Me) and General Jumbo (GB) (Dansili [GB]).
Wood Be Willing (Pulpit) was scratched.
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Einstein, who was apparently uninjured after the incident, did not finish.
Nor could the stricken Mending Fences, whose injuries were so severe that he had
to be put down.
"(Mending Fences) had a condylar fracture in his (right front) ankle,"
reported Dr. Larry Bramlage, on-call veterinarian for the American Association
of Equine Practitioners. "Going around the turn caused him to dislocate the
ankle. When he went down, the fracture went through the skin. That made the
prognosis grave. He was euthanized."
"I couldn't even avoid (Mending Fences), even if I wanted to," Dominguez said
of his clean trip aboard the winner. "I was very close to him, but he didn't
interfere with me. I just hate to see that happen.
"My horse just ran a very good race," he continued. "I was in a very good
position. He got it done going a mile and an eighth, because that was a concern
for a lot of people. He proved that he has a lot of class."
Remarkable News now sports a mark of 14-8-3-1 with $640,291 in earnings. The
lightly raced chestnut rapidly rose through the ranks last year, taking the
Connaught Cup S. (Can-G3) at Woodbine in his stakes debut and adding the
Fourstardave H. (G2) at Saratoga. He also posted runner-up efforts in the
Shadwell Turf Mile S. (G1) and Poker H. (G3). Last time out, the five-year-old
was a troubled sixth in the Maker's Mark Mile S. (G2).
Bred by Agropecuaria Luisiana S.A. in Venezuela, the winner is out of the
Alhajras mare Unreachable, making him a full brother to the Venezuelan
stakes-placed Sir Antonio. This is the family of multiple Grade 1 winners
Adjudicating and Dispute, Grade 1 victor Time for a Change and Australian Group
1 hero Secret Savings.
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