NEWS
Calibrachoa scores second straight Toboggan Stakes win
Posted: Saturday, February 04, 2012 5:08 PM
CALIBRACHOA WINS TOBOGGAN STAKES
Adam Coglianese/NYRA photo
For video of the Toboggan Stakes, click here.
by Myra Lewyn
Calibrachoa chased pacesetter Diski Dance from second before taking command in early stretch and coasting to a clear victory in the $150,000 Toboggan Stakes (G3) on Saturday at Aqueduct.
The five-year-old by Southern Image stumbled at the start but quickly recovered under jockey Cornelio Velasquez, who guided him into ideal stalking position.
Diski Dance led by 1½ lengths through a half-mile, but Calibrochoa easily reeled in his opponent entering the stretch and shook free to a 2¼-length triumph to win the Toboggan for a second straight year.
“First jump out of the gate, he stumbled, but he stayed in the race,” Velasquez said. “I stayed right there in second, easy, and waited until the last three-sixteenths [of a mile]. I asked him, and he passed. I had a lot of horse. He was the best horse in the race.”
Calibrachoa, the 0.45-to-1 favorite as part of an entry stablemate Caixa Eletronica, covered six furlongs in 1:09.47 on a track rated as fast. He earned his fifth stakes win and fourth in a graded stakes—all at Aqueduct—while improving his overall record to nine wins, three seconds, and four thirds from 19 starts and earnings of $546,040. His stakes wins include the 2011 Tom Fool Handicap (G3), Bold Ruler Stakes (G3), and the 2010 Gravesend Stakes as well as a third-place finish in the 2011 Cigar Mile Handicap (G1).
Diski Dance held on for second, three-quarters of a length in front of Caixa Eletronica, who rallied smartly for third after encountering a bit of trouble while racing in sixth early in the seven-horse field.
“After [Calibrachoa] got up from that stumble, he recovered into a good position and got a good trip from there,” said Todd Pletcher, who trains Calibrachoa for owner Repole Stable. “We’ll look at the Tom Fool [Handicap (G3) on March 3]. He’s so good at Aqueduct, we have to look at it.
“[Caixa Eletronica] got bounced around pretty good down the backside and kind of lost the position he had. I don’t know if he was going to beat the winner, but he would have been closer. He put in a good run”
Pletcher claimed Calibrachoa from breeder Nelson Bunker Hunt for $40,000 out of a win in a six-furlong race at Aqueduct on November 18, 2010.
The dark bay or brown Kentucky-bred is out of Grade 2-placed winner Fort Lauderdale, who is a half sister to the dam of Grade 1 winner and sire Bellamy Road.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
