NEWS
Tanzana stretches out to win Cradle Stakes
Posted: Monday, September 06, 2010 8:07 AM
TANZANA (outside) TAKES COMMAND IN CRADLE STAKES
John Engelhardt photo
To view the Cradle Stakes, click here.
by Patrick Reed
Tanzana proved to relish added distance in the $100,000 Budweiser Select Cradle Stakes on Monday at River Downs, rallying late to take the 1 1/16 mile turf race by a half-length over pacesetter Conservative Value.
The two-year-old Freefourinternet colt never had raced beyond five furlongs in his first two career starts but finished strongly under Leandro Goncalves after stalking the pace in fourth through the backstretch.
Goncalves urged the colt into contention in early stretch, and Tanzana responded with a burst of speed to overtake Conservative Value in the final yards for his first stakes victory.
Conservative Value held second by three-quarters of a length over 1.50-to-1 Mesonic.
“Tanzana broke sharp and wanted the front but we were going long today and I wanted to relax him," Goncalves said. "He shied a little from the other horses a few times but when I really asked him to run he responded. I think he really likes the turf.”
Tanzana, trained by Garry Simms, finished third in his career debut in a five-furlong turf race at Churchill Downs on June 27 but bounced back to score a seven-length victory in his second start at Hoosier Park over dirt on August 4.
The colt boosted his career earnings to $85,191 on Monday with the Cradle’s $60,000 winner’s share, and Simms indicated after the race that he would keep all options open for Tanzana in the coming months, including the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) at Churchill Downs in November. Bred in Florida by Three Cranes Farm, Tanzana is out of the unplaced Siphon (Brz) mare Likely Suspect.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Patrick Reed is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer
