Jimmy Creed justifies favoritism in Potrero Grande

"Today, things were more to his liking, I actually had the race in my hands

the whole time, it was an easier race. He can get lazy when he makes the lead so

I have to keep him focused. Even today, when he saw the cameras as we crossed

the finish he shied away from them a bit. He's a young horse, and he's only

getting better, he has a bright future."

"He had a perfect trip," Mandella said. "He had a great post on the outside

this time and he broke good. It looked like it was meant to be."

Apriority reported home another 2 1/4 lengths adrift of Unbridled's Note in

third. Comma to the Top faded to fourth, and Camp Victory and Second City

rounded out the order under the wire. Haverhill and Italian Rules were

scratched.

Jimmy Creed advanced his record to 8-4-2-1, $403,000. A maiden winner at

Hollywood Park on Independence Day, Jimmy Creed next captured an allowance at

Del Mar before bowing by a neck in his stakes debut in the August 31 El Cajon at

the same track. A close third in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship on October

6, Jimmy Creed failed to muster a rally in the Breeders' Cup Sprint over a track

playing kindly to speed. He rebounded in the Malibu and has now won two in a

row.

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Jimmy Creed was a

$900,000 Keeneland September yearling. He was produced by La Brea winner

Hookedonthefeelin, a daughter of Citidancer, making him a half-brother to

multiple Grade 1 queen Pussycat Doll and the stakes-placed Blowing Kisses. He's

also a full brother to stakes winner Funny Feeling. This is the family of Grade

3 winner Potomac Bend.

Mandella mentioned the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park on May 27 as his

next significant goal.

"That's something we'd take pretty serious," the Hall of Famer said of the

historic one-turn mile. "I think he would (go further than sprints).

"We missed some races (due to a cough after the Malibu), so this (Potrero

Grande) was the obvious thing.

"The Churchill Downs Stakes (over seven furlongs on Kentucky Derby Day, May

4) is another possibility. He missed the Strub due to a cough so we pointed to

this and we'll see if it can carry us to the Met Mile."

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