NEWS
Presious Passion romps in Clement L. Hirsch
Posted: Sunday, October 11, 2009 9:18 PM
PRESIOUS PASSION
Benoit & Associates photo
To view a video replay of the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes, click here.
by Myra Lewyn
Presious Passion got firm footing and clear sailing on Sunday at Santa Anita Park as he romped unchallenged to a dominant victory in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship Stakes (G1).
Sent off as the 1.30-to-1 favorite in the eight-horse field, Presious Passion grabbed control immediately, opened a commanding lead on the backstretch, and coasted across the finish line 2½ lengths clear of Medici Code (GB).
The six-year-old Royal Anthem gelding covered 1¼ miles in 1:59.13 on firm turf.
Based on the East Coast with trainer Mary Hartmann, the six-year-old Royal Anthem gelding earned a guaranteed starting berth in the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) on November 7 with his front-running, course-record setting victory of 2:10.97 for 1 3/8 miles in the United Nation Stakes (G1) on July 4 at Monmouth Park. He solidified his status as a top contender for the 1½-mile Turf with another authoritative victory in the Clement Hirsch.
After winning the United Nations, Presious Passion shipped to Arlington Park for the Arlington Million Stakes (G1) in August. He opened up a ten-length lead early but tired on the turf course labeled as good and finished eighth. The course at Belmont Park came up soft for his intended subsequent start in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (G1) on October 3, prompting Hartmann to scratch Presious Passion. She decided to ship Presious Passion west for firmer footing in the Clement Hirsch and he produced the desired result.
“We’ll stay here and go to the Breeders’ Cup,” Hartmann said after the Clement Hirsch. “The mile and a half is better for him. We needed good weather and firm turf. That’s why we came here from New York.”
Presious Passion opened a clear lead early under Elvis Trujillo on Sunday and widened his advantage to six lengths through six furlongs 1:11.58 while Quarter Moon tracked from second. Medici Code stalked from sixth before moving up to third, four lengths behind Presious Passion after a mile, but the race was clearly for second place.
Medici Code, bidding to snap an 11-race winless stretch dating to the 2007 Del Mar Derby (G2), outfinished multiple graded stakes winner and third-place finisher Spring House by three-quarters of a length.
Florida-bred Presious Passion, who is out of the Marquetry mare Princesa’s Passion, improved to four wins and two seconds in seven starts this season. Overall, he has won 13 of 41 career starts and earned $2,032,018 for owner Patricia Generazio.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
