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Elite Squadron wires Churchill Downs field
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Elite Squadron blitzed his rivals in the Churchill Downs
(Mathea Kelley/Horsephotos.com) |
Tom R. Walters' ELITE SQUADRON (Officer) took the lead from his rail post
soon after the start of Saturday's $282,000
Churchill Downs S. (G2) and easily drew off in the stretch to post a 4
1/2-length score under John Velazquez. Trained by James Baker, the four-year-old
chestnut set fractions of :21 4/5, :43 3/5 and 1:08 before finishing seven
furlongs on the drying out, fast dirt in 1:21 2/5."This horse has lots of speed and it's obvious speed is holding today," Baker
said. "He loves the track -- horses for courses. I was a little worried when I
saw :43 for the half. I said, 'Oh, my God.' I was ready to cry, I'm so happy."
Sent off the 4-1 third choice in this eight-horse field, Elite Squadron
rewarded his backers with $10.80, $5.60 and $4 while keying the $42.20 exacta,
$315.20 trifecta and $2,882.60 superfecta (1-3-6-5). Noonmark (Unbridled's Song)
broke from the gate as the near 7-2 favorite but could never get to the winner,
paying $4.60 and $3.40 for holding second by a neck over Hewitts (Concerto), who
returned $3.80 at 5-1. Island Warrior (Cherokee Run) followed another 1 1/2
lengths farther back in fourth with Thousand Words (GB) (Dansili [GB]), Junior
College (Ide), Carnacks Choice (Carson City) and Spotsgone (Bright Launch)
rounding out the order under the wire.
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Wanderin Boy (Seeking the Gold) ran third in Friday's Alysheba S. (G3) and
scratched out of this one.
Elite Squadron entered this event off a game head second in the Commonwealth
S. (G2) at Keeneland on April 12 and earned just his second stakes victory here
after taking last season's Tom Ridge Labor Day S. at Presque Isle Downs. The chestnut
colt's record now reads 12-5-1-1, including a third in the Richter Scale Sprint
H. (G2) in March, and he's banked $433,706.
Bred by Matt Herbener in Kentucky, Elite Squadron is out of the
stakes-winning, Grade 2-placed Sweet Mama (High Brite), who has also produced
multiple stakes-placed Darting Dot (Geri), an unraced juvenile filly named
Cathedral Flyer (Forest Camp) and an unnamed yearling colt by Bernstein.
Baker said the May 31 Aristides S. (G3) going six furlongs at Churchill is up
next for Elite Squadron.
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