NEWS
Kiss a Native matures in the Pegasus
Posted: Saturday, November 04, 2000
John Franks's gelding overcomes steering problems to post five-length victory
The last time Woodbine-based trainer David Bell shipped John Franks's three-year-old Florida-bred Kiss a Native to New Jersey was for the $1-million Haskell Invitational Handicap (G1) at Monmouth Park on August 6. Franks and Bell set such a precedent in 1993 when Kissin Kris, the sire of Kiss a Native, won the Haskell over heavily favored Cherokee Run.
Pegasus H. (G2)
The Meadowlands, October 27, $250,000, 11/8 miles, fast, 1:48.33
1-KISS A NATIVE, g. 3, Kissin Kris-Ronique, by Raise a Native.
2-Cool N Collective, c. 3, Ruhlmann-Panther Run, by Cox's Ridge.
3-Pine Dance, c. 3, Pine Bluff-Dancing Affair, by Dancing Champ.
After Kiss a Native's third-place finish to Milwaukee Brew in the Ohio Derby (G2) on July 15, Bell and Franks were confident about the gelding's chances of bringing home the 2000 Haskell trophy, even though he was a 37.70-to-1 post-time longshot.
But Kiss a Native did not perform well on that sultry afternoon. The gelding out of Ronique, by Raise a Native, finished ninth and last, beaten by 19 3/4 lengths.
"We put blinkers on him for the Haskell, and for some odd reason, he just lost interest," Bell said. "We still don't know why it happened."
Two more months of maturity and two Canadian Grade 3 wins at Woodbine convinced Bell that a return trip to New Jersey was in order for the $250,000 Pegasus Handicap (G2) at the Meadowlands on October 27. "It was either this race or the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1)," Bell said. "(The Pegasus) is a nice race for three-year-olds and it just timed out better."
Kiss a Native, carrying jockey Mickey Walls and 119 pounds, rallied in the stretch after losing ground on the far turn to win the 20th running of the Pegasus by five lengths, covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.33. The victory, which came on a night the track ran four other stakes, was the sophomore's first graded stakes triumph in the United States.
"He's getting better and better, especially with the blinkers," Bell said. "He used to be a little more unprofessional about it. Even though he won his last two races at home, he really wasn't into it. He's still learning how to run."
No left turns
Walls gained the mount on Kiss a Native following the Haskell debacle and found out quickly how difficult Kiss a Native was to control. One of the difficulties Bell and Walls were fighting was Kiss a Native's disdain for making left turns. "In the past, he really hasn't negotiated the turns very well," Walls said.
That disdain was apparent again as the seven-horse Pegasus field entered the far turn.
New Jersey-bred Thistyranthasclass popped out of the gate with Cool N Collective on his heels, going out in :23.84, :47.38, and 1:10.99 for six furlongs. Walls placed Kiss a Native, the 4.20-to-1 third betting pick, on the outside of those two and began vigorous right-handed urging on the far turn.
"He actually began losing ground there," Bell said, watching a television replay. "I thought we were going to run a bad fourth."
Once on a straight path in the stretch, Kiss a Native exploded down the middle of the racetrack under Walls's whip, passing the tiring Thistyranthasclass, who eventually finished fourth, at the eighth pole.
"I was hoping those two would hook up early, which left me in the right spot," Walls said. "I knew he'd punch out the last quarter."
Cool N Collective held on by a nose for second over fast-closing Pennsylvania Derby (G3) winner and 121-pound highweight Pine Dance, who finished stoutly along the rail.
Mass Market, the 1.60-to-1 favorite and co-second highweight at 119 pounds, finished last. Pat Day, who was flown in by private jet from Lexington by co-owner Will Farish for the Pegasus, said the Marquetry colt "struggled to keep position and didn't respond."
Pine Dance, trained by Dermot Weld, will either run in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) on November 4 or the Hollywood Derby (G1) on November 26.
"We only had him 85% cranked up for this," Weld said. "Our goal has been the Breeders' Cup all along. We'll see."
For Kiss a Native, there will be no return trip to the Breeders' Cup, where he finished last of 14 horses in the 1999 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Gulfstream Park, his final race in the barn of trainer William White. His first start for Bell, in late May, was not auspicious, as he was pulled up in the Woodbine stretch. Yet he came right back to score consecutive listed stakes victories in June before heading to Thistledown.
Kiss a Native has posted five wins in eight starts in 2000 and is 8-for-12 lifetime. The $150,000 first-place check for the Pegasus brings his total earnings to $736,940. The immediate future holds a short vacation for Kiss a Native before he heads into the handicap ranks as a four-year-old.
"He needs at least a month's break and we'll go from there," Bell said. "Obviously, we knew he could win at Woodbine, and we wanted to see if he could move up into the next league and he did. I think he'll make a fine handicap horse next year since he's becoming a better shipper."
MEADOW MOMENTS-Four $45,000 stakes races gave some extra zest to the Pegasus program. Kinsman Stable's Chasing Stars rallied from next to last to nip William Backer's Jazz by a nose in the Navajo Princess Stakes on the turf course. Richard Migliore was aboard the winner, a four-year-old daughter of Cozzene. Loaded Gun, the 1.80-to-1 favorite ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, won the six-furlong Accordant Handicap for New Jersey-breds by a half-length over Spectacular Slew. Spiritofspain, a four-year-old Montbrook colt, scored a front-running win in the Broad Brush Stakes at a mile and 70 yards, and Come Back Ronnie, a five-year-old horse by Tsunami Slew, kicked from near the back of the nine-horse field to triumph in the one-mile John Henry Stakes on the turf.
Tom De Martini is a New Jersey correspondent of Thoroughbred Times.
