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Trinniberg wires field in Woody Stephens

Trinniberg is now three-for-three in sprints this year (Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com) About 1 1/2 hours after watching their Grade 1 winner Giant Ryan vanned off the track with life-threatening injuries in the Grade 2 True North Handicap, owner Shivananda Parboo and trainer Bisnath Parboo watched with joy as their three-year-old sprint star Trinniberg went gate-to-wire in the Grade 2, $400,000 Woody Stephens at Belmont Park. Holding a half-length advantage over 9-1 chance Currency Swap through splits of :22 1/5 and :44 3/5, the 5-2 favorite edged clear in the stretch to win by 1 3/4 lengths and finished up seven furlongs over a fast track in 1:22 1/5. Ridden by Willie Martinez, Trinniberg returned $7.70, $4.80 and $3.80. "It doesn’t get any better. We're still sad, what happened earlier with Giant Ryan. It's a bittersweet win," Martinez said. In taking the Woody Stephens, Trinniberg replicated the feat of his sire, Teuflesburg, who captured the 2007 edition of the race. Trinniberg also gained a measure of revenge over Currency Swap, who had beaten him by three-quarters of a length in their last meeting, the Grade 1 Hopeful at Saratoga last September. Finishing a distant sixth in the Hopeful was I'll Have Another, the dual classic winner who was unexpectedly retired Friday before his Triple Crown bid in Saturday's Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

Speed held well in the Woody Stephens as Currency Swap raced in second throughout and crossed the wire 1 3/4 lengths clear of Ill Villano, who raced in third most of the way. That 15-1 chance finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Hardened Wildcat. Completing the order of finish were Bourbon Courage, Hierro, Isn't He Clever, Power World and Laurie's Rocket. Brian was eased in the stretch.

A debut winner at Calder last July by 5 3/4 lengths, Trinniberg was fifth, beaten 26 lengths, in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special in the slop in his next outing. He encountered the same track conditions in the Hopeful on Labor Day, but fared much better to be a stubborn second to Currency Swap at odds of 68-1 after leading most of the way. He occupied the same position after a similar run in the Grade 2 Nashua at Belmont Park, but went way too fast in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint at Churchill Downs. Pressured by eventual winner Secret Circle through an opening quarter of :20 4/5, Trinniberg made a steady retreat to finish seventh in the nine-horse field.

Trinniberg coasted by margins of six lengths and three lengths, respectively, in taking the Grade 3 Swale and Grade 3 Bay Shore in his first two outings this year, but found the stretchout from seven furlongs to 1 1/4 miles too difficult in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby. Stalking Bodemeister to the far turn, Trinniberg tired to finish 17th in the field of 20. His record now stands at 9-4-2-0, $581,300.

Trinniberg was bred in Kentucky by J M Stables and sold for $21,000 at the OBS April Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. He was produced by the stakes-placed Bella Dorato, a daughter of Goldminers Gold, and is the only stakes winner produced in the past four generations of his family. This female line once yielded Cavalcade, who captured the 1934 Kentucky Derby.

Bet the Belmont Stakes at TwinSpires.com

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