Race Day outduels Midnight Hawk in Razorback

Although Midnight Hawk fought bravely for the length of the stretch, Race Day

was always going a bit better in the battle of the grays. The winner kept his

neck in front in a final time of 1:44 4/5 for 1 1/16 miles and paid $6.20 to

win.

There was a gap of seven lengths back to Golden Ticket (Speightstown), who

closed from last to take third. Carve (First Samurai), Tapiture and Ride on

Curlin (Curlin) completed the order under the wire. Likely pace factor I Got It

All (Tiz Wonderful) was scratched.

The four-year-old Race Day was stretching out to two turns for just the

second time in his brief career. Originally trained by Kellyn Gorder for WinStar

Farm, he broke his maiden over 1 1/16 miles at a muddy Keeneland last fall. He

came right back to capture an entry-level allowance around a one-turn mile at

Churchill Downs.

Race Day was then sold for $285,000 at Keeneland November and transferred to

Pletcher, who kept him at a one-turn mile at Gulfstream. An 8 1/2-length romper

in a second-level allowance on December 14, he was a rallying third, beaten a

half-length, in the Fred Hooper. Now two-for-two at 1 1/16 miles, he sports an

overall mark of 7-4-1-2, $250,450.

Bred by James Miller in Kentucky, Race Day was an RNA for $120,000 as a

Keeneland September yearling. He was produced by the winning Rebalite (More Than

Ready), making him a half-brother to the multiple stakes-placed Banded (Bandini).

Rebalite is herself a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Lite

Light (Majestic Light), the dam of Group 2 victor Saddad (Gone West), Grade 3

scorer Nite Light (Thunder Gulch) and multiple Japanese stakes queen Gaily Egret

(Storm Cat).

Race Day, whose fourth dam is Admiring (Hail to Reason), traces to the

prolific *La Troienne (*Teddy).

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