NEWS
Awesome Act storms into Triple Crown poll
Posted: Monday, March 08, 2010 6:23 PM
by Ron Parker
During a week in which nearly all of the major contenders in the THOROUGHBRED TIMES Road to the Triple Crown poll were idle, Awesome Act’s victory in the Gotham Stakes (G3) on March 6 at Aqueduct made enough of an impression on the voters to rank him seventh in the fourth weekly poll of editors, reporters, and correspondents.
Voters are asked to rank their top ten selections each week leading up to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), with a first-place vote earning ten points, a second-place vote nine points, descending to one point for a tenth-place vote.
For the third consecutive week Eskendereya, with 158 points, remained the narrow leader over runner-up Lookin At Lucky, who garnered 154 points.
Awesome Act, who had not been mentioned in earlier polls due to having not raced since finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) on November 7 at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita, vaulted into the poll with 55 points.
The Kentucky-bred Awesome Again colt not only came into the Gotham off a four-month break, he had shipped in from England just five days before the race and spent two days in quarantine.
Just as important to voters in an era in which several major contenders often are untested on conventional dirt tracks is the fact that Awesome Act, who had never raced on dirt, made an emphatic statement about his ability to handle the surface.
“He just did everything perfect,” said jockey Julien Leparoux who was aboard Awesome Act for the first time in the Gotham. “He was beyond good on the dirt; it didn’t matter to him at all. He just did everything on his own. He put me in the right spots and then he just finished very nice.”
Trainer Jeremy Noseda said that Awesome Act is on course for the Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) on April 3 at Aqueduct.
Other newcomers to the poll were Alphie’s Bet and Setsuko, the first two finishers from the Sham Stakes (G3); Mendip, who defeated Vale of York (Ire) in the Derrinstown Stud Bahri Al Bastakiya at Meydan Racecourse; and Pasadena Stakes winner Make Music for Me.
For complete voting results, click here.
Ron Parker is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer
