NEWS
Spotsgone pulls upset in Hanshin Cup
Posted: Saturday, May 26, 2007 8:13 PM
SPOTSGONE
Four Footed Fotos
by K. T. Donovan
Sent off at odds of 81.50-to-1, Robert Yago’s Spotsgone led at every point of call en route to capturing his first graded stakes in the $100,000 Hanshin Cup Handicap (G3) on Saturday at Arlington Park.
The four-year-old Bright Launch colt, trained by Jinks Fires and ridden by his brother, Earlie Fires, tallied by 2 1/4 lengths while 6-to-5 favorite Lewis Michael finished a nonthreatening second, two lengths in front of Gouldings Green, winner of last year’s edition of the race.
Out in front early in the middle of the track, Spotsgone set fractions of :45.61 for a half-mile and 1:09.95 for six furlongs while under constant pressure from Star By Design on the rail.
Lewis Michael, runner-up in the Commonwealth Breeders’ Cup Stakes (G2) on April 14 at Keeneland Race Course, was conserved off the pace, while Ramazutti lurked further back on the rail. As the field bunched up around the turn, Purim threatened on the outside, and Fires let Spotsgone lengthen his command to 1 1/2 lengths in early stretch. He spurted away from there and finished the one mile on the Polytrack surface in 1:33.72.
“We had entered him in a couple of allowance races here and at Churchill (Downs) but neither one of them went,” said Jinks Fires. “We had nominated him here so we went for it. We thought he’d run well, but he’d never been on the Poytrack, so we were a little skeptical about that. He doesn’t like horses on the outside of him and Earlie didn’t let that happen.”
Spotsgone was making his sixth start this year and won for the first time since taking his season opener in a six-furlong allowance/optional claiming race at Oaklawn Park on January 21. He entered off a fourth-place finish in same category there on April 13. With Saturday’s win, his career record improved to five wins in 23 career starts, including the 2006 Prairie Mile Stakes at Prairie Meadows Racetrack, and earnings of $227,472.
Bred by Hurstland Farm in Kentucky, Spotsgone is out of the Mr. Leader mare Double’s Lass.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
K. T. Donovan is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer
