NEWS
Gayego game winner of Arkansas Derby
Posted: Saturday, April 12, 2008 8:31 PM
GAYEGO
Kurtis Coady/Coady Photography
by Jeff Apel
Gayego gamely turned back Grade 3 winner Z Fortune in the closing strides and earned a possible start in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) with a three-quarter-length win in the $1-million Arkansas Derby (G2) on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.
Campaigned by Carlos Juelle’s and Jose Prieto’s Cubanacan Stables, Gayego made his first start on a dirt track in the Arkansas Derby, a 1 1/8-mile race for three-year-olds. The Gilded Time colt made his previous four starts on synthetic surfaces in California.
The 2.20-to-1 favorite in the field of 13, Gayego tracked pacesetter Tres Borrachos in second under jockey Mike Smith through a half-mile :46.61. Gayego opened a head lead through six furlongs in 1:11.09, and led Z Fortune by a half-length in early stretch.
Z Fortune rallied four wide from sixth but could not catch Gayego, who dug in with determination in the closing strides and prevailed in 1:49.63 on a track rated fast.
Z Fortune finished four lengths in front of third-place finisher Tres Borrachos.
Trained by Paulo Lobo, Gayego made his previous two starts at Santa Anita Park, and entered off a runner-up finish in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) on March 15. The dark bay or brown colt won the San Pedro Stakes in his stakes debut on January 20.
Gayego posted his third win in five starts and increased his earnings to $723,420. Bred in Kentucky by Hargus Sexton and Sandra Sexton, Gayego is out of Devils Lake, by Lost Code.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Jeff Apel is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor
