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ROAD TO THE TRIPLE CROWN MARCH 8, 2006 by James Scully
Runner-up SACRED LIGHT (Holy Bull) passed horses along the rail on the far turn and closed ground through the stretch to be a good second, 2 3/4 lengths clear of Latent Heat, while never a threat to the winner. The second- and third-place finishers both turned in encouraging performances. Sacred Light, who is trained by the conservative David Hofmans, raced only twice last year, breaking his maiden the second time out by disqualification, and didn't receive much fanfare when making his seasonal bow in a mid-January allowance. He offered a decent late run for third behind Bob and John (Seeking the Gold) that afternoon and duplicated that performance with a third in the Sham S. (G3) next out. Both times he caught a slow pace and didn't fire until straightening for home, essentially passing tiring rivals to gain a small share of the purse. He justified his conditioner's faith with a much improved showing in the Santa Catalina. Sacred Light finally had a decent pace up front and the gray colt moved much sooner on Saturday, launching his rally under Aaron Gryder as he entered the final bend, and he carried his momentum into the stretch, earning his third straight triple-digit BRIS Late Pace rating (101) and a career best 100 Speed rating. From the same female family of Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Awesome Again and champion Macho Uno, Sacred Light is late-blooming three-year-old who could move forward significantly over the coming months. Latent Heat made his first start against winners and two-turn debut on Saturday. A sharp seven-furlong maiden victor in previous outing, the Bobby Frankel-trained colt wound up setting a contested pace and had no answer for Brother Derek leaving the far turn. He still finished up decent, 4 1/2 lengths behind the winner, and gained valuable seasoning. Latent Heat will need to keep improving, but he could still be heard from later in the year. CORINTHIAN (Pulpit) was the best horse in the 1 1/8-mile Fountain of Youth and has attracted many supporters to his Kentucky Derby (G1) bandwagon due to his tremendous potential. However, he's also the type who might have concerns with the crowd and starting gate on May 6. Scratched at the starting gate of the January 7 Aventura S. after refusing to load, Corinthian's bad behavior made us wait a couple of minutes for the break on Saturday. Once the running began, he settled into a perfect stalking position, about three lengths behind the pacesetter, as First Samurai dictated moderate early fractions through the opening three-quarters. When Javier Castellano called upon his mount approaching the stretch, Corinthian responded with a strong surge that carried him past First Samurai with about a furlong left to run. It looked like he was going to win by daylight, but who knew that the chestnut would completely lose his focus? His greenness showed as Corinthian weaved in and out, interfering with a couple of rivals. He wasn't going to lose the race, but deserved to be placed third following the one-length score. An entry level allowance winner at Gulfstream on February 6, Corinthian's official record reads 4-2-1-1, but he's finished first in three straight since dropping his career bow last October. The Jimmy Jerkens-trained colt earned a career best 102 Speed rating and was bet down to 15-1 in pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager based on his performance. Considering that the Fountain of Youth was his first stakes start, the well-bred colt owns plenty of room for improvement and looks like a major player for the Kentucky Derby if he can get his head in order. We can still chalk up his past antics to inexperience, but let's see more maturity in his next start. First Samurai, who had Corinthian cut in front of him and then carry him out toward the middle of track, was the benefactor of the disqualification, but the Fountain of Youth did not flatter the well-built chestnut. A multiple Grade 1 winner making his sixth straight graded stakes appearance, he was the only dirt stakes winner entering the race and looked like the lone speed. The Frank Brothers trainee broke running and established easy splits in :23 4/5, :48 1/5 and 1:12 1/5 (much slower than the other two dirt routes at Gulfstream Saturday) with about a one-length advantage. He had everything his own way at this point. The way First Samurai got caught so quickly in upper stretch was alarming. Trouble followed, but he didn't finish fast and didn't appear to be a short horse entering his two-turn debut. He drilled five furlongs in :59 2/5 (second fastest of 13) on February 16 and tuned up for the Fountain of Youth with a fast one-mile breeze in 1:37 3/5 on February 24, completing the final quarter-mile in :24. The tendency is to believe he should handle longer distances with his sire being Giant's Causeway, but that's only 50 percent of the equation. First Samurai didn't figure to inherit much stamina from his dam side and doesn't appear to want any part of 10 furlongs. FLASHY BULL (Holy Bull), who moved up one spot to second following the stewards' ruling, is an intriguing darkhorse. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin isn't recognized as Kentucky Derby specialist, but he will be. His handling of Closing Argument last year was remarkable. By the very fast Successful Appeal and out of a mare by a Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) runner-up, Closing Argument didn't own a fashionable pedigree and suffered a foot injury in late February that forced him to miss a scheduled start in the Fountain of Youth and valuable training time. McLaughlin kept him together and following a well-beaten third in the Blue Grass S. (G1) off a lengthy layoff, Closing Argument delivered an incredible runner-up performance as the longest shot on the board in the Kentucky Derby, just missing by a half-length. McLaughlin got everything possible out of the colt and stamped himself a trainer to watch on the Triple Crown scene. Flashy Bull, who will attempt to give sire Holy Bull back-to-back Kentucky Derby winners, still has much to prove, but he is making good progress. After breaking his maiden in late October, the gray colt proceeded straight to stakes company and finished a better-than-expected second to Bluegrass Cat (Storm Cat) in the Remsen S. (G2). He returned to the races this year with a fourth in the Holy Bull S. (G3) and showed more in the Fountain of Youth, re-rallying inside the final sixteenth to just miss catching First Samurai by a neck. His Speed ratings (101) continue to increase, and Flashy Bull has been stuck in outside posts in his last two starts. He's improving for McLaughlin. Earlier on Gulfstream's card, SHARP HUMOR (Distorted Humor) proved ultra-game recording a neck decision in the seven-furlong Swale S. (G3). Unraced since October and the first juvenile since Funny Cide (Distorted Humor) to capture the Bertram F. Bongard S. and Sleepy Hollow S., the New York-bred colt dueled for the lead through fractions in :22 and :44 2/5 before emerging with the lead in upper stretch. He appeared ready to surrender the advantage when heavy favorite NOONMARK (Unbridled's Song) came charging, but the Dale Romans-trained Sharp Humor responded to the challenge. The promising colt received a 98 Speed rating. Saturday's 3RD race at Gulfstream, 1 1/8-mile allowance, featured an up and comer in SUNRIVER (Saint Ballado). A full brother to Ashado, the Todd Pletcher runner pressed a fast pace (:23 3/5, :47 2/5 and 1:11 1/5) and finished up well, earning his first century-topping (102) Speed rating. Sunriver rebounded nicely from a disappointing effort in the sloppy Holy Bull and is now headed back to stakes competition. Turfway Park attracted a field of 12 for Saturday's John Battaglia Memorial S., the final local prep for the March 25 Lane's End S. (G2), and LAITY (Pulpit) regained some lost luster with a half-length triumph. A 11 3/4-length winner of the Cradle S. last September, the Brothers trainee concluded his juvenile campaign with a pair of unplaced showings in graded stakes. He returned on Saturday and raced on or near the front before edging clear and withstanding the late rally of PAIR OF KINGS (K One King), a former claimer. His 92 Speed rating is a little low, but Laity is heading in the right direction off this win.
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