To view the Generous Stakes, click here.
by Tim Nichols
Who’s Up overpowered 2-to-5 favorite Bridgetown in the stretch and drew away to win the $100,000 Generous Stakes (G3) on Saturday at Hollywood Park.
M Racing’s two-year-old Graeme Hall colt overtook Bridgetown, who entered off a second-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2), in midstretch and secured his first stakes victory by 1¾ lengths. Who’s Up covered one mile under Victor Espinoza in 1:34.49 on firm turf for trainer Kathy Walsh.
“He’s a very good horse and we’ve thought so right from the start,” Walsh said.
Espinoza placed Who’s Up behind pacesetter Bridgetown through a half-mile in :48.07 and six furlongs in 1:11.26. Who’s Up launched his winning bid entering the stretch and took the lead as Bridgetown weakened.
Marcello closed well to finish second, a half-length better than third-place Lucky Rave (GB). Bridgetown faded to fourth.
Who’s Up entered the Generous off a front-running, two-length score in a maiden special weight race on October 24 at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita Park. Prior to the win, Who’s Up finished seventh in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) on September 7 after finishing second in his career debut on August 22 at Del Mar.
“Our mistake was at Del Mar we ran him back to quickly,” Walsh said. “He came out of the race real good though.”
Bred in Florida by Andrew Cant, Who’s Up improved to two wins from four starts with earnings of $93,000. He is the first starter out of the winning Is It True mare Divine Rockette.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Tim Nichols is internet content editor for Thoroughbred Times