NEWS
Jack o’ Lantern shines in Hollywood Prevue
Posted: Sunday, November 23, 2008 8:43 PM
JACK O' LANTERN
Benoit & Associates photo
by Mike Curry
Jack o’ Lantern handled a significant step up in class as he held off fast-closing multiple graded stakes winner Azul Leon to win the $103,700 Hollywood Prevue Stakes (G3) and provide trainer Richard Matlow with his first graded stakes win on Sunday at Hollywood Park.
Matlow was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is commonly referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s disease,” about seven months ago. Lou Gehrig’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord and currently there is no cure.
“I was misdiagnosed for about a year. I’ve got a bad foot and my hands are not good, but other than that I’m not bad; still come to the barn every day,” Matlow said. “This is probably one of my biggest wins, first graded stake.”
Matlow trains Jack o’ Lantern, a $10,500 purchase at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale, for owners Purple Shamrock Racing and Bruce Chandler.
Sent off at the longest odds in the six-horse field at 19.90-to-1, the Flatter gelding won his stakes debut by a half-length under Isaias Enriquez. Jack o’ Lantern entered off a 3½-length win in a $75,000 maiden claiming race on October 23 at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita Park.
“I liked this horse because he was a big lanky horse—he had a good walk on him and he had good dimension,” Matlow said. “Those other horses are seasoned horses, and I just took a shot because he’s eligible. I knew this horse was going to route so I figured to take a shot and maybe get part of it.”
Jack o’ Lantern saved ground from off the pace as Backbackbackgone set a pressured pace through an opening quarter in :22.64 in the seven-furlong race. Ventana, Congor Bay, and Arashi Cat were bunched right behind the pace with a break back to Jack o’ Lantern and Azul Leon, who trailed the field into the turn.
Azul Leon was angled wide by jockey Garrett Gomez approaching the stretch as Jack o’ Lantern accelerated into contention from the rail.
Five horses lined up across the track—Backbackbackgone, Ventana, and Arashi Cat bookended by Jack o’ Lantern on the inside and Azul Leon on the outside—as the Hollywood Prevue developed into a wide-open race.
Jack o’ Lantern steadily edged clear in the final furlong and battled gamely in the closing strides to fend off a late bid from 1.30-to-1 favorite Azul Leon. He completed the distance in 1:21.89 on the synthetic Cushion Track surface to boost his earnings to $82,440 with two wins in three starts.
Azul Leon was 1½ lengths clear of Ventana and Arashi Cat, who finished in a dead heat for third.
Bred in Kentucky by Equus Farm, Jack o’ Lantern is out of the stakes-placed Northern Baby mare Northern Guide.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
