Top European jockey rides Brave Act to victory in Explosive Bid after Rebel victory

Cash Asmussen, the Texan who has become one of Europe's premier jockeys, did not have a ride in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1), but he had a mount in Oaklawn Park's Rebel Stakes (G3) on March 25, when he rode Snuck In to victory for his brother Steve.

Explosive Bid H. (G3)
Fair Grounds, March 26, $600,000, about 11/8 miles, turf, firm, 1:48.98
1-BRAVE ACT (GB), h. 6, =Persian Bold (Ire)-=Circus Act (GB), by =Shirley Heights (GB).
2-Where's Taylor, c. 4, Absent Russian-Ms. K. L. Taylor, by Taylor's Falls.
3-Chester House, h. 5, Mr. Prospector-Toussaud, by El Gran Senor.

The Oaklawn race put him in position geographically to pick up a mount the following day in Fair Grounds's $600,000 Explosive Bid Handicap (G3), and the call came from trainer Ron McAnally to ride Sidney Craig's Brave Act (GB) in the 1 1/8-mile turf race. McAnally found himself without a jockey when Alex Solis was unable to make his way back to the United States from Dubai in time.

Solis's delay was Asmussen's gain when Brave Act powered through the stretch and overtook Where's Taylor to win by three-quarters of a length. Chester House, the 8-to-5 favorite ridden by Curt Bourque subbing for Dubai-delayed Corey Nakatani, finished third in the field of 13. Brave Act, the 3.70-to-1 second choice, ran the Explosive Bid's nine furlongs in 1:48.98 on a firm course.

Asmussen had called about mounts in the Explosive Bid, but all the horses were booked. McAnally told him, however, to stay in touch because he had a suspicion the Dubai flight would not reach New Orleans in time. Also affected was fifth finisher Majorien (GB), who was ridden by Robby Albarado in place of Kent Desormeaux.

"I contacted a few people to try to ride this race last week, but everybody was tied up," Asmussen said. "Ron had told my secretary, he said, 'Listen, I'm tied up in this spot already, but tell Cash if he's in the area, don't be somewhere else in case these guys miss the plane.' I wasn't counting on it until 6:50 this morning (when McAnally called). I was getting on a plane (in Little Rock) to go to Dallas, and I was surprised. I didn't wish anybody any bad luck, but I was happy to come in and ride."

And ride he did. "Ron's instructions were to 'enjoy yourself early on and then get going,'" said Asmussen, who followed McAnally's instructions to the letter. He and Brave Act followed approximately nine lengths behind a pace battle between local front-runner Northcote Road and Phi Beta Doc through an initial six furlongs in 1:11.83. As the field approached the straight, Northcote Road held the lead briefly before being overtaken by a stalking 18-to-1 Where's Taylor.

Where's Taylor, a Fair Grounds-based horse trained by Mike Stidham, opened a two-length lead at the furlong pole, after a mile in 1:36.68, but Asmussen and Brave Act were moving fastest of all. Just past the sixteenth pole, Brave Act ranged up on the leader, and the result became obvious.

Chester House also closed ground impressively to finish third, a head behind Where's Taylor. Yagli, who shared the 121-pound high weight with Brave Act, finished fourth, another 1 1/4 lengths back.

Asmussen said Brave Act, who had won Santa Anita Park's San Gabriel Handicap (G2) on New Year's Day, was very professional in his victory. "Ron told me the horse has a great turn of foot," he said. "He told me not to worry about him early, that any time they've tried to make him lay close he hasn't finished as well. It took him a little while to get warmed up.

"I tried to get inside a little bit because they took the temporary rail down and there was a patch about five spaces wide. I did get a little wide in the turn when he was accelerating because Yagli wasn't quite moving as fast. I wanted to follow him but he wasn't going anywhere.

"It took him a while to get going even though he finished well. And then in the stretch I tried to get back on that path, and he finished well."

Bourque said his trip aboard favored Chester House was not at all pleasant. "He stood at the start," he said. "He was very hesitant. Then he got to running, but he kept jumping tracks down the lane, and I couldn't push him to his right lead. He may not be used to the tight turns on this track."

Brave Act, a six-year-old horse by Persian Bold out of Circus Act (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB), bettered his record to 13 wins in 27 starts and has earned $1,546,269 for Craig, the husband of weight-loss entrepreneur Jenny Craig.

After running sixth in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) last year, Brave Act has put together three consecutive graded stakes victories. In November, he won Hollywood Park's Citation Handicap (G2) and opened the year with the win in the San Gabriel.