NEWS
Gran Estreno repeats in Washington Park Handicap
Posted: Saturday, September 04, 2010 7:45 PM
GRAN ESTRENO (ARG)
Four Footed Fotos
To view the Washington Park Handicap, click here.
by Ron Parker
Feel The Thunder Stable’s Gran Estreno (Arg) charged through from along the rail on Saturday to score a repeat win in the $120,000 Washington Park Handicap (G3) at Arlington Park.
With jockey Michael Baze in the irons, the seven-year-old Lucky Roberto horse trailed the five-horse field through the first half-mile of the 1 3/16-mile race after being bumped at the start.Mad Flatter sailed along in front with a two-length lead after a half-mile in :48.63.
In the stretch, 3-to-2 favorite Giant Oak rallied to challenge Mad Flatter while Baze kept Gran Estreno on the rail and drove through for a half-length victory, covering the distance in 1:56.88 on the synthetic Polytrack surface.
“He didn’t break super sharp but I got after him a little bit,” Baze said. “It worked out good because if he had broken super sharp, I might have been four or five wide into the turn. I was fortunate to save ground all the way around there and get through on the rail.”
With the Washington Park Handicap win, Gran Estreno earned an automatic starting spot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) via the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series.
Giant Oak gamely held on for second, a neck in front of Mad Flatter.
Gran Estreno came to the U.S. in 2007 from his native Argentina, where he won the Jockey Club (Arg-G1). Since then, he has been in and out of claiming races, and it was at Arlington last year that trainer Michael Stidham claimed him for $20,000 for his current owners. Stidham moved him up the ladder since the claim and Gran Estreno has rewarded his connections with three stakes wins.
Out of the winning Senor Pete mare Great Stampa, Gran Estreno increased his earnings to $407,235 with 11 wins from 30 starts.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Ron Parker is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer
