To view a video replay of the Hawthorne Gold Cup, click here.
by Ron Parker
West Point Thoroughbreds’ Awesome Gem parlayed a trip from Southern Califoria into a visit to the winner’s circle at Hawthorne Race Course as the six-year-old Awesome Again gelding rallied from off the pace to collar game runner-up Nite Lite for a victory in the $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (G2).
The 1¼-mile Gold Cup, a prep race for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), drew field of 11. The speedy Shadowbdancing, with a record of three wins, three seconds and one third in seven starts at Hawthorne, took the lead on the muddy track while posting sensible fractions of :48.60 for the first half-mile and 1:13.04 for six furlongs.
Nite Light had Shadowbdancing in his sights while stalking from second while Awesome Gem, seventh early, began to methodically close ground on the backstretch. Shadowbdancing began to shorten his stride on the turn and Nite Light rallied to take a narrow lead with Awesome Gem and You and I Forever joining the battle.
Nite Light maintained his advantage temporarily but could not hold off the late charge of Awesome Gem, who rallied past for a 1¼-length victory. He completed the 1¼ miles in 2:04.36.
Nite Light was two lengths clear of late-running Going Ballistic, who was last after a mile. You and I Forever was another 1½ lengths back in fourth.
Trainer Craig Dollase enlisted West Coast-based jockey David Flores to make the trip to Cicero, Illinois, for Hawthorne Gold Cup. The trip paid dividends for both Dollase and Flores as Awesome Gem recorded his second career stakes victory and his first since winning the 2007 San Fernando Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.
A consistent performer with multiple Grade 1 placings, Awesome Gem rebounded from a troubled seventh-place finish in the Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) at Del Mar, where he was beaten by 3¾ lengths by Richard’s Kid.
Out of the unraced Pentelicus mare Piano, Awesome Gem boosted his career earnings to $1,695,682 with six wins in 30 starts.
Also on the card, Peter Karahalios’ Public Speaker, favored at odds of 11-to-10, battled with stubborn Antrim County before surging clear inside the sixteenth pole for a 1¼-length victory in the $100,000 Robert F. Carey Memorial Handicap (video).
Originally carded as a Grade 3 race at one mile on the turf course, rain forced the race to be moved to the sloppy main track, resulting in an automatic downgrade pending review by the American Graded Stakes Committee.
Reduced to a field of five after four scratches, Public Speaker covered the revised distance of one mile and 70 yards in 1:42.16 on the sloppy track.
The four-year-old Distorted Humor colt has earned $223,848 with seven wins from 13 starts.
Ron Parker is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer
For Equibase charts, click here.