NEWS
Colonel John holds off El Gato Malo in Sham
Posted: Saturday, March 01, 2008 10:09 PM
COLONEL JOHN (white cap)
Benoit & Associates photo
by Mike Curry
Colonel John stalked a leisurely pace, seized command entering the stretch, and held off previously unbeaten runner-up El Gato Malo by a half-length to win the $200,000 Sham Stakes (G3) on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.
Trained by Eoin Harty for owner-breeder WinStar Farm, Colonel John made his first start since a runner-up finish in the CashCall Futurity (G1) on December 22 at Hollywood Park.
The Tiznow colt won two of four starts as a juvenile, including a three-length score in the Real Quiet Stakes at Hollywood on November 18, but showed no signs of rust following a layoff of more than two months.
Sent off as the 3-to-2 second choice, Colonel John broke alertly and stalked stakes-placed winner Victory Pete through an opening quarter in :24.97 and a half-mile in :50.04. Colonel John overtook the pacesetter when called upon by Garret Gomez and spurted clear in early stretch.
“I was sitting on the outside, and I didn’t want to have to use him in a couple of spots in the race, this being his first time back,” Gomez said. “I just wanted to let him have the smoothest trip possible, and have him come home. And he really did. He did things very nice and came home really well.”
El Gato Malo, making his first start since winning the San Rafael Stakes (G3) on January 12, rallied three wide into the stretch and closed gamely on the outside as the 7-to-10 favorite. El Gato Malo gradually cut into Colonel John’s lead, but the victor had plenty of stamina in reserve to hold off the bid and prevail in 1:50.15 on the synthetic all-weather surface.
El Gato Malo was three lengths clear of third-place finisher Victory Pete.
The field for the Sham was reduced to five with the scratches of Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) runner-up Coast Guard and maiden winner Trevor’s Clever.
Colonel John improved to three wins and two seconds in five starts and boosted his earnings to $375,300. The $120,000 winner’s share increased Triple Crown-nominated Colonel John’s graded stakes earnings to $270,000. The field for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) is determined by graded earnings if more than 20 horses are entered.
Kentucky-bred Colonel John is out of the winning Turkoman mare Sweet Damsel.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Mike Curry is Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
