'Mousse is loose in Sham

Last updated: 2/28/09 10:14 PM

The Pamplemousse has now won three in a row
(Benoit Photo)

Heavily favored THE PAMPLEMOUSSE (Kafwain) turned in a tour de force,
front-running performance in Saturday’s $200,000
Sham S. (G3)
at Santa Anita. Trained by Julio Canani and ridden by Alex Solis, the 1-2 shot
rattled off rapid fractions, ran his rivals off their feet, and strode home an
imperious winner while finishing 1 1/8 miles in 1:47 4/5 on the Pro-Ride.

The Pamplemousse broke alertly, as did Smart Bid (Smart Strike) to his inside and Take the
Points (Even the Score) on the far outside. Quickly shrugging off the other two,
The Pamplemousse established a comfortable lead through an opening quarter in
:23. The gray traveled well within himself while carving out splits of :46 2/5
and 1:10 1/5, with Take the Points, Smart Bid and Mark S the Cooler (Johar)
trying to give chase. That trio raced four lengths ahead of the rest of the
pack.

Turning for home, The Pamplemousse was still under no more than a hand ride,
but his pursuers came under increasing pressure to keep up. Two lengths in front
at the eighth-pole while getting one mile in 1:35, he increased his advantage to
six lengths at the wire.

“I’ve never ridden anything like him,” Solis marveled. “The
way he’s been training, I expected something like this. He has such a high
cruising speed and he’s getting more and more amazing. He has such a good mind
and he was real relaxed the whole way. If you want to get an idea of how he’ll
do going a mile and a quarter, I switched to my left stick and hit him one time
at the eighth-pole and he just took off. He’s unbelievable.”

The Pamplemousse returned $3, $2.60 and $2.40 for his dominating effort. Take
the Points shortened stride late but held second by 1 3/4 lengths, paying $4 and
$3.60 as the nearly 5-1 second choice. Mr. Hot Stuff (Tiznow), who was unhurried
early, rallied along the inside to grab third. The 8-1 third choice yielded
$3.60 to show. The $1 exotics were worth $6.30 (exacta), $22.10 (trifecta) and
$170.60 (5-12-7-8 superfecta) with the 26-1 Bourbon Bay (Sligo Bay [Ire])
another half-length back in fourth.

Completing the order of finish were Unbridled Roman (Roman Dancer), Smart
Bid, Mark S the Cooler, Hi Flyin Indy (A.P. Indy), Tiz True (Tiznow) and Balfour
Park (Mutakddim). Ventana (Toccet) and Lifeline (Pulpit) were scratched.

The Pamplemousse was all alone at the wire
(Benoit Photo)

Campaigned by Bienstock & Winner Stable et al, The Pamplemousse improved his
record to 5-3-0-1, $209,280. He has won three in a row since stretching out to
two turns. A rallying fourth in his debut at Santa Anita, he again improved his
position when third in a Hollywood maiden. In his third outing, The Pamplemousse
stepped up to 1 1/16 miles at Hollywood and, after dueling early, kicked away to
score by 2 3/4 lengths. He smoothly handled the transition to stakes company by
upsetting Square Eddie (Smart Strike) in the January 17 San Rafael S. (G3) last
time out.

Bred by Clarkland Farm in Kentucky, The Pamplemousse is out of the winning
Rubiano mare Comfort Zone. He is a half-brother to the stakes-placed Thermostat
(Summer Squall), an unnamed juvenile filly by Proud Citizen and an unnamed
yearling filly by Stormy Atlantic. This is the family of Grade 1 heroes Stormello
(Stormy Atlantic) and Marlin (Sword Dance [Ire]), as well as stakes victress
Jaramar Rain (Thunder Gulch), the dam of highly regarded three-year-old Imperial
Council (Empire Maker).

The winner was an $80,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling purchase. As a
two-year-old in training at OBS last March, he commanded $150,000 from Alex
Solis Bloodstock, which is operated by the rider’s son, Alex Solis II. Young
Alex remains a part-owner in The Pamplemousse.

“He is a nice horse,” Canani said. “Every race, this horse is improving more.
The Santa Anita Derby ([G1] on April 4) is his next race.”