Thorn Song hangs on in Shoemaker thriller

The gray Thorn Song is all out to hold off Hyperbaric (Benoit Photo) Zayat Stables’ THORN SONG (Unbridled’s Song) shipped into Hollywood Park for Monday’s $314,500 Shoemaker Mile (G1) in hopes of sparking a form turnaround, having suffered sound defeats in each of his past four races. The Dale Romans charge accomplished that mission with a gutsy, front-running display. After setting a fast pace with Mike Smith, the 9-1 shot fought off all challengers to prevail in a blanket finish, posting a final time of 1:33 1/5 on the firm turf. When the gate opened, Thorn Song sprinted to the fore and angled over to set up shop on the rail. Storm Military (Arg) (Bernstein) and Hyperbaric (Sky Classic) were in hot pursuit through fractions of :23 2/5, :46 and 1:09 1/5, while 6-5 favorite Whatsthescript (Ire) (Royal Applause [GB]) bided his time off the pace.

Entering the stretch, Hyperbaric launched his bid and soon drew on even terms
with Thorn Song. Storm Military, who kept charging on the outside, was inching
ever closer in third, and the trio was separated by two heads at the
eighth-pole. Whatsthescript peeled to the outside for the drive, but inside the
final furlong, it was clear that he was not going to reel in the leaders.

Although Thorn Song was under intense pressure from Hyperbaric for the entire
length of the stretch, the gray refused to wilt, and stuck on with admirable
determination on the inside. Neither did Hyperbaric yield an inch between
horses, and actually appeared to put his head in front at one point. Storm
Military himself kept battling away in a valiant effort to force a three-way
photo.

The top four duke it out to the wire (Benoit Photo) In the shadow of the wire, Thorn Song summoned one final burst to thrust his head in front of Hyperbaric, with Storm Military another neck away in third and a steadily gaining Whatsthescript just a neck astern in fourth. The winner returned $21.20, $9.20 and $6.20 while spearheading the $1 exotics — $49.60 (exacta), $402.70 (trifecta) and $1,121 (6-1-3-2 superfecta). Hyperbaric, the 7-2 third choice, gave back $5.40 and $3.60, and Storm Military paid $6.60 at 15-1. Whatsthescript pulled 1 1/2 lengths clear of Dixie Chatter (Dixie Union) in fifth. Tiz West (Gone West) and U S Ranger (Danzig) completed the order of finish. The mare Ventura (Chester House), the 5-2 favorite on the morning line, was scratched.

Thorn Song has now joined millionaires’ row with $1,124,483 in earnings from
a line of 27-8-4-4. Successful in the 2007 River City H. (G3) at Churchill
Downs, he captured the Firecracker H. (G2) over the same course last summer, and
he also placed in last year’s Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) and Fourstardave H. (G2).
Thorn Song added the Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) title to his resume in October, but
had lost his form since then. Ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1), he was a
disappointing eighth as the defending champion in the River City, last of six in
the Maker’s Mark Mile in his 2009 debut, and most recently fifth in the Woodford
Reserve Turf Classic (G1).

Bred by Pinnacle Racing and Taylor Made Farm in Kentucky, Thorn Song was
purchased by his current connections for $200,000 as a two-year-old in training
at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale in May 2005. He is out of the unraced Storm
Bird mare Festal, who has also produced an unnamed juvenile colt by Roman Ruler
and a yearling filly by Value Plus. Thorn Song’s second dam is Fiesta Lady
(Secretariat), winner of the 1984 Matron S. (G1) and Del Mar Debutante S. (G2).
This is the family of 2007 Madison S. (G2) queen Mary Delaney (Hennessy).