NEWS
Nicanor powers to 15 1/4-length romp in turf debut
Posted: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 4:14 PM
by Mike Curry
Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s homebred Nicanor delivered a dominant performance in his turf debut on Wednesday at Delaware Park, uncoiling an explosive turn of foot to power well clear in the stretch en route to a 15 1/4-length romp in a $39,750 maiden special weight race.
A full brother to ill-fated 2006 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Barbaro, the Dynaformer colt showed an affinity for the grass as did his brother in his first two career starts. Barbaro, who shattered his right hind leg nearly three years ago, won his first two races on turf by a combined 16 1/2 lengths.
After finishing second in his two previous starts, both on the main track at Gulfstream Park, Nicanor seized command under Rosie Napravnik through a pressured opening quarter in :24.34. Wearing blinkers for the first time, Nicanor opened a clear advantage while setting a comfortable pace and willingly accelerated when called upon approaching the stretch.
Nicanor extended his advantage with every stride, completing 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:46.31 to win in his fourth career start for trainer Michael Matz.
“I think he ran well and I was pleased with him. I don’t know if it was the turf or if it was the blinkers or if it was that he’s finally figured it out,” Matz said. “His last two races were real nice races, and I just think the more experience he has the better he’s going to be. We knew the ability was there, it’s just taking the time with him.”
Out of multiple Grade 2-placed winner La Ville Rouge, by Carson City, Nicanor posted his first career win one week before the three-year anniversary of Barbaro’s breakdown in the Preakness on May 20, 2006.
Barbaro captivated the country with a 6 1/2-length runaway victory in the 2006 Kentucky Derby and captured the national spotlight during his subsequent fight for survival. He was euthanized on January 29, 2007, after complications with laminitis left him without a good foot on which to stand.
Nicanor’s half brother Holy Ground was a stakes winner on the main track and stakes placed on turf. He has a two-year-old full brother, named Lentenor, and a weanling full brother who was born on March 10 at Mill Ridge Farm in Lexington.
Matz said he thought Nicanor seemed to relish the surface switch and he expects the bay colt to make his next start on grass.
“You never know within the race what kind of horses the other horses are, but hopefully there were some nice horses in there. He looked like he really took to the grass and he seemed like he was focused a little bit more with the blinkers,” Matz said. “Maybe it was some combination of giving him time, the grass and the blinkers. Take your pick.”
“I would probably say, just off the top of my head right now, we’ll probably give him an allowance race on the grass, and see how that turns out.”
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
THOROUGHBRED TIMES sales editor Pete Denk compares Nicanor's maiden victory to the first win of Nicanor's older brother, Barbaro, in his From the Ring to the Racetrack blog. To view, click here.
