Chatain dominates Hal's Hope

Lazy F Ranch's CHATAIN (Forest Wildcat) moved into contention turning for

home and effortlessly inhaled his foes in impressively taking the $100,000

Hal's Hope H. (G3) for the second consecutive year at Gulfstream

Park on Sunday. The

Angel Penna, Jr. trainee broke well but was content to sit well off the early

pace established by longshot Rexson's Rose (Suave Prospect), who recorded splits

of :23 3/5, :46 3/5 and 1:11 1/5 for the opening six panels. Jockey Cornelio

Velasquez angled Chatain four wide on the turn, and after briefly bumping Actin Good (Yes It's True) in

midstretch, his mount swiftly put away his rivals. Chatain drew clear by 2 1/2 lengths while completing one mile in 1:36

1/5 on the fast track. The 7-5 choice gave back $4.80, $3.40 and $2.80 while keying the $1

gimmicks: $74.80 exacta, $946.90 trifecta and $10,075.50 superfecta (10-7-9-12).

"He's a very good horse, but frustrating too," Penna admitted of the fragile

Chatain. "He's had problems with his feet, but also has been accident prone. The

only time he was really able to put two races together was here last winter,

when he won the Hal's Hope and ran a very good race (when fourth) in the Donn

(H. [G1]), but caught the best horse in the world, Invasor (Arg)."

Miner's Lamp (Seeking the Gold) split horses leaving the far turn and

finished well to gain the place at nearly 63-1. The runner-up paid $39.40 and

$18.80. Actin Good tracked the pace on the outside, took a momentary lead

heading into the stretch and finished a clear third, 2 3/4 lengths in front of

his nearest foe. Show paid $7 for the nearly 20-1 shot. Yes He's the Man (Yes

It's True) concluded the superfecta at 19-1 and was followed by Olympic (Danzig),

Dr Googles Boogles (Richter Scale), Rexson's Rose, A. J. Melini (Matty G), Pop

Goes the Tiger (Tiger Ridge), 9-5 second choice Timber Reserve (Forest Camp) and

Elite Squadron (Officer). Commentator (Distorted Humor) and Notgonagetemtoday

(D. J. Cat) were withdrawn.

Chatain improved his fine mark to 9-6-1-0, $276,330. The five-year-old bay has now

won three straight, including the William Livingston S. and a smart allowance/optional

claiming

score at Saratoga. The talented Kentucky-bred began his career with a sharp win

over this oval, followed that up with a game second behind eventual Grade 1 hero Showing

Up (Strategic Mission) in his second start, and concluded his sophomore season

with a resounding allowance tally at Meadowlands. After taking the Hal's Hope in

track record time in his 2007 bow, Chatain took the lead in midstretch in the Donn

before tiring to fourth, and finished unplaced in the Ben Ali S. (G3) in his

lone try over a synthetic surface at Keeneland.

The winner was bred by Stonerside Stable and produced from the multiple

stakes-winning Roujoleur (Red Ransom), who is also responsible for an unnamed two-year-old

colt by Lucky Lionel. Chatain was purchased for $250,000 at the 2004 Fasig-Tipton

Saratoga August Yearling sale.

"It's hard to plan too far ahead because of his various problems," Penna

said, "but one possibility will be the mile race in Dubai (Godolphin Mile

[UAE-G2] on March 29). No more two-turn races. If not that race, then maybe the

seven-eighths here later in the meet (March 8 Richter Scale Sprint H. [G2])."