NEWS
Vacation scores Hanshin Cup at Arlington
Posted: Saturday, May 23, 2009 9:38 PM
VACATION
Four Footed Fotos
To view the Hanshin Cup Handicap, click here.
by Patrick Reed
Vacation entered Saturday’s $100,000 Hanshin Cup Handicap (G3) at Arlington Park following a lengthy series of inconsistent starts in allowance and stakes company, but he erased past frustrations with an impressive 2¼-length score over Grade 1 winner Dominican.
The Hanshin Cup was also the second stakes win on the Arlington card for Vacation’s connections. Owner-breeder Phipps Stable, trainer Shug McGaughey, and jockey John Velazquez also teamed to win with Consequence in the $200,000 American 1,000 Guineas Stakes.
Sent off at odds of 3.60-to-1, Vacation settled behind early pacesetters Voy Por Uno Mas and Spotsgone through opening fractions of :24 and :46.80. Longshot Voy Por Uno Mas opened a three-length lead at the quarter-pole, but Vacation responded willingly when asked by Velazquez and charged to the front entering the stretch.
Vacation opened a comfortable lead in the final furlong and was never challenged by late-running Dominican, covering one mile in 1:36.56 on the synthetic Polytrack surface.
Dominican held for second by 1¾ lengths over Grade 2-placed Cherokee Artist. Coragil Cat, winner of last year’s edition of the Hanshin, never fired and finished last in the eight-horse field.
Vacation, who is out of the Seeking the Gold mare Country Hideaway, improved his career record to three wins in 19 starts and increased his earnings to $227,663.
Euphony wins Arlington Matron (video)
One race earlier, Pin Oak Stable’s homebred Euphony powered clear in midstretch and posted a three-quarter-length victory over Kiss With a Twist in the $150,000 Arlington Matron Handicap (G3).
The four-year-old Forest Wildcat filly covered 1 1/8 miles on the synthetic Polytrack surface in 1:50.72 for her first graded stakes and fifth straight stakes win for trainer Donnie Von Hemel. Each of the wins have come at five different tracks.
Sent off at odds of 7.90-to-1, Euphony was rated in second under Cliff Berry through opening fractions of :25.19 and :49.75 as 4-to-5 favorite and 2008 Arlington Matron winner Indescribable stalked in third.
Euphony surged to the lead and held back a challenge in midstretch from Kiss With a Twist to prevail. Kiss With a Twist finished 2½ lengths in front of Indescribable for second.
Euphony, who is out of the Smart Strike mare Strike It Up, improved her career record to eight wins in ten career starts and elevated her lifetime earnings to $373,600.
The race was marred by an accident in early stretch as Born to Be was bumped by Sky Mom and then clipped heels with fading pacesetter Boudoir. Born to Be fell straight down, unseating jockey Rene Douglas. Douglas was taken to Northwest Community Hospital and then transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he underwent extensive surgery into Sunday morning. Sky Mom was disqualified from fifth and placed last for interference. For more on Douglas's condition, click here.
Consequence surges to victory in American 1,000 Guineas (video)
In the American 1,000 Guineas Stakes, Consequence overtook pacesetter Afternoon Stroll in deep stretch and repelled a strong late challenge from Excelente (Ire) to score a half-length victory.
The three-year-old El Prado (Ire) filly covered one mile in 1:37.59 on firm turf and won for the first time in five starts since her career debut in August 2008. She entered off a third-pace finish in the Beaumont Stakes (G2) on April 8 at Keeneland Race Course.
Consequence is out of the dual Grade 1 winner Educated Risk, a half sister to champion Inside Information. Consequence improved her career record to two wins in six starts and boosted her earnings to $179,860.
Giant Oak rebounds to win Arlington Classic (video)
Following a series of races on the Triple Crown trail, Giant Oak returned to the scene of his maiden win and scored his first stakes victory with a powerful late charge in the $150,000 Arlington Classic Stakes.
Ridden by Eusebio Razo Jr., the three-year-old Giant’s Causeway colt bested game longshot No Inflation by one length, with Grade 3 winner El Crespo another 1¾ lengths behind in third. Giant Oak covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.59 on a turf course rated as firm.
For Equibase charts, click here.
Patrick Reed is a THOROUGHBRED TIMES contributing writer
