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Political has just enough Force in Suburban
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Political Force ended a 45-year drought in the Suburban for Jerkens, who won the 1962 edition with Beau Purple
(Dianne Boothe/Horsephotos.com) |
Joseph Allen's homebred POLITICAL FORCE (Unbridled's Song) took the lead a
few jumps into the stretch and held on for a 1 1/4-length win in the $400,000
Suburban H. (G1) at Belmont Park on
Saturday. Trained by Allen Jerkens and piloted
by Cornelio Velasquez, the gray colt recorded a final time of 2:00 2/5 to earn
his initial stakes win.
As expected, Fairbanks (Giant's Causeway) shot to the lead early and
dictated the pace through fractions of :24 1/5, :47 2/5, 1:10 3/5 and 1:34 4/5
for the opening mile, with Hesanoldsalt (Broad Brush) and 3-2 choice Corinthian
(Pulpit) tracking closely. As the field approached the final turn, Political
Force was deftly moved off the rail into striking range while Fairbanks
dispatched of his early pace pressers, setting up the final run to the wire. The
Jerkens charge was clear inside the final eighth and looked like a certain
winner, but he tired noticeably late and needed all of his energy to hold off
the re-rallying pacesetter.
Sent off at 5-1, Political Force paid $12, $4.70 and $4.50. The 2-1 runner-up was
good for $3.50 and $4.50 while completing the $49.60 exacta. Malibu Moonshine
(Malibu Moon) was far back early but rallied well in the latter stages to earn
third, another two lengths back. Show paid $10.60 and the 1-5-3 trifecta returned
$445.50. Evening Attire (Black Tie Affair [Ire]) closed along the inside for
fourth and was followed by Hesanoldsalt and Corinthian.
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Political Force placed in his last three outings -- the Metropolitan H. (G1), Westchester H. (G3) and Skip Away H. (G3)
-- and ran second in the 2005 Nashua S. (G3). The four-year-old boasts a
15-4-5-3 mark with earnings that now stand at $517,232.
The winner was bred in the Bluegrass State and produced from millionaire Glitter Woman (Glitterman),
who captured five graded events, including the 1997 Ashland S. (G1), and is a half-sister to 2001 Breeders' Cup
Distaff (G1) victress Unbridled Elaine (Unbridled's Song). Political Force
himself counts an unnamed yearling filly by Fusaichi Pegasus as a
half-sister.
Jerkens, who captured his fourth Suburban, indicated that the $500,000
Woodward S. (G1) on September 1 at Saratoga could be the next start for
Political Force.
"If you want to think big, we'll probably look
for two more races and then the Breeders' Cup," he quipped. "You've gotta think big."
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