Point of Entry strongly prevails in Elkhorn

by Vance Hanson

Phipps Stable's homebred Point of Entry made his turf stakes debut a winning

one in Friday's Grade 2, $150,000 Elkhorn on closing day of the Keeneland spring

meet. Guided by John Velasquez, the Dynaformer colt defeated a group that

included two-time Elkhorn winner Musketier, as well as recent Grade 2 winners

Newsdad and Simmard.

Tracking in midpack about seven lengths behind the leading Newsdad passing

the wire for the first time in the three-turn race, Point of Entry was nudged

along by Velazquez to keep in closer contact in the final seven furlongs. He

soon drew alongside the tracking Musketier, the 10-year-old seeking a third

consecutive win in the Elkhorn.

Up front down the backside was Newsdad, who had led comfortably through

splits of :25, :50 1/5, and 1:16, but began to come under pressure from Simmard,

who poked his head in front after a mile in 1:40 4/5. Approaching the quarter

pole, Simmard began to edge away from Newsdad, setting the fraction in 2:05 1/5,

while Point of Entry and Musketier began to shift four wide to make their bids.

In the stretch Simmard held on to a tenuous lead, but it did not take long

for Point of Entry to overtake him with more than a furlong remaining and the

four-year-old drove home a solid 1 1/2-length winner in a final time of 2:29 2/5

for 12 furlongs on the firm turf. Sent off as the 5-1 fourth choice, Point of

Entry returned $13.20, $7.60 and $5.

Tahoe Lake, a 15-1 chance, rallied inside of Simmard in the final furlong to

claim second by three-quarters of a length, with Simmard 1 3/4 lengths ahead of

Musketier. The order of finish was rounded out by Newsdad, Wilkinson, and

Suntracer. Center Divider stumbled leaving the gate, unseating jockey Robby

Albarado. Skipshot was an early scratch.

After breaking his maiden in his fourth career start by 15 1/2 lengths in an

off-the-turf event at Belmont Park last May, Point of Entry finished second in

his turf debut and then a distant fourth in the Curlin at Saratoga, his only

previous try in black-type company. Reverting back to turf, Point of Entry won

two of his next four attempts in allowance company, taking a 1 3/8-mile

first-level heat at Gulfstream on December 26 and a 1 1/2-mile second-level

allowance at Keeneland on April 12. In the latter, he came from 26 lengths down

to win going away by 1 1/4 lengths. His record now stands at 11-4-3-2-1,

$214,490.

Produced by the Seeking the Gold mare Matlacha Pass, Point of Entry is a

half-brother to the late multiple Grade 1-winning filly Pine Island, as well as

the stakes-placed A Wild Ride. Matlacha Pass herself is a full sister to Grade 1

winner Pleasant Home and multiple Grade 2 winner Country Hideaway, the dam of

multiple Grade 2 vixen Boca Grande and Grade 3 victor Vacation.

Point of Entry's third dam was Grade 1 winner Maplejinsky, who produced

champion older mare Sky Beauty. The winner's fourth dam was champion sprinter

Gold Beauty, who also produced multiple European highweight Dayjur. This family

is also responsible for multiple Grade 1 winner Tale of Ekati.