NEWS
Citizen scores upset in Mountain Valley
Posted: Saturday, February 28, 2009 7:51 PM
CITIZEN (inside) HOLDS OFF FLYING PRIVATE IN UPSET WIN
Sunny Taylor/Coady Photography
by Ron Parker
Citizen, the longest price on the board at odds of 29-to-1, held off fast-finishing Flying Private by a head to win the $50,000 Mountain Valley Stakes on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.
The six-furlong race drew eight three-year-olds, and Big Push took a narrow early lead with Citizen and Doc Posse pressing him through fractions of :22.24 and :46.56 through a half-mile.
Turning for home, Citizen surged to the front from the inside under Jon Court and opened up a three-length lead in early stretch.
Citizen was fully extended to hold on as Flying Private overcame traffic trouble and closed with a rush from the back of the pack.
Flying Private made up ground with every stride and nearly caught Citizen, who crossed the finish line in 1:11.62 on a track rated as fast.
Flying Private was three-quarters of a length clear of third-place finisher Lyin’ Heart, and 6-to-5 favorite Dance Caller finished fourth.
Owned by L. T. B. Inc. and Naveed Chowhan, Citizen snapped a three-race losing streak dating to a victory in the Meadowlake Stakes at Hawthorne Race Course on October 25.
Citizen was shipped to Oaklawn from Fair Grounds, where he finished seventh in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) and fifth in the Black Gold Stakes this year.
The City Zip colt is out of the Seeking the Gold mare Rachel’s Star. He has won three of ten career startrs and increased his earnings to $96,481.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Ron Parker is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer
