by Jeff Apel
Charles Fipke’s homebred Grade 1 winner Tale of Ekati was declared the winner of the $300,000 Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) after Harlem Rocker was disqualified from first and placed second for causing interference in the stretch on Saturday at Aqueduct.
Canadian classic winner Harlem Rocker crossed the finish line a nose in front of Tale of Ekati. Harlem Rocker was disqualified after lugging in during the stretch run, which forced Tale of Ekati to alter his course.
“You could see he was coming in on me and I had to steady,” said Edgar Prado, Tale of Ekati’s rider.
Eibar Coa, Harlem Rocker’s rider, said he did not feel Prado had to stop riding to get around his mount approaching the finish. Harlem Rocker was positioned inside of Tale of Ekati in the stretch.
“You see the same kind of separation happening over and over again,” Coa said. “I don’t see why they would take me down this time.”
Todd Pletcher, Harlem Rocker’s trainer, said he will wait until after talking with owner-breeder Frank Stronach before deciding whether he will appeal the stewards' decision.
“[Tale of Ekati] didn’t appear to really check, and he had every opportunity to go by our horse. And in my opinion, he was never going by,” Pletcher said. “It’s a tough call in a Grade 1.”
Tale of Ekati saved ground at the start and raced in fourth through a half-mile in :45.31. The Tale of the Cat colt moved up to second in early stretch, two lengths behind Harlem Rocker.
Harlem Rocker rallied from sixth in the field of nine and overtook four foes approaching the stretch to gain command. Digging in with determination in the closing strides, Harlem Rocker crossed the finish line in 1:35.01 on a track rated as fast.
Bribon (Fr) finished third, three-quarters of a length behind Tale of Ekati.
Multiple graded stakes winner Wanderin Boy shattered the sesamoids in his left foreleg and was euthanized, according to published reports.
Barclay Tagg trains Tale of Ekati, who entered off a win in the Jerome Handicap (G2) on October 5 at Belmont Park.
Three-year-old Tale of Ekati won the Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) on April 5 at Aqueduct prior to posting a fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) on May 3 at Churchill Downs.
Tale of Ekati earned his fifth win in 12 starts and increased his earnings to $1,172,758. Bred in Kentucky, Tale of Ekati out of the placed Sunday Silence mare Silence Beauty (Jpn), a half sister to 1994 champion older female Sky Beauty.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Jeff Apel is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor