Turf no problem for Cajun Beat
Padua Stables and Ircan & Ircan’s CAJUN BEAT (Grand Slam)
proved his sprinting abilities over the turf to be just as
successful as on the dirt when taking the Hollywood Turf Express
H. (G3) at Hollywood Park on Friday. Tracking the leaders for
much of the 5 1/2-furlong event, jockey Ramon Dominguez swung
wide entering the stretch and collared the leaders while still
leaving his fellow closers behind. The four-year-old gelding
stopped the clock in 1:02, coming home the final sixteenth over
the firm ground in less than six seconds.
De Valmount (Aus) (Dehere) controlled the pace up front,
setting splits of :21 1/5, :43 3/5, and :56 for the five furlongs.
But just as the seven-year-old looked clear, Cajun Beat came
charging on the outside and appeared to leave him standing still.
The Bobby Frankel trainee accelerated away, with Geronimo (Chi) (Gold
Tribute) and Mighty Beau (Rainbow Prospect) giving chase but
basically battling for second, as the 2003 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1)
hero drew clear by three lengths at the wire, with Dominguez
simply flashing the gelding the whip.
Sent off as the nearly 5-2 favorite, Cajun Beat was worth $6.40,
$3.80, and $3.20. He keyed an $11.90 exacta ($1) with Geronimo,
who gave back $3.80 and $2.80 at 3-1. Mighty Beau was a neck back
in third, worth a nice $6.60 at 22-1, and finished off a $118.40
trifecta ($1). Golden Arrow (Rahy) completed the 3-6-2-1
superfecta ($1), paying $560.60. Rounding out the order of finish
were De Valmount, Worldwind Romance (Frosty the Snowman), Hombre
Rapido (Falstaff), Only the Best (Smokester) and Coded Message (Lost
Code).
Cajun Beat was bred in Kentucky by John T. L. Jones Jr. and H.
Smoot Fahlgren. Aside from his Breeders’ Cup victory last year,
the dark bay also took the Kentucky Cup Sprint (G3). In his 2004
campaign, he had already won the Mr. Prospector H. (G3), but this
was the first win under the direction of Frankel, who took over
the gelding’s training this summer. Cajun Beat improved his
earnings to $1,159,100 and his career mark to 17-7-3-0. Out of
the Grade 2-placed Beckys Shirt (Cure the Blues), Cajun Beat has
an unnamed yearling half-sister by Minardi and a weanling half-sister
by Woodman.