Joe blazes to victory in Palm Beach

Joes Blazing Aaron once again proved his preference for the turf in the Palm Beach (Guy Gustafson/Horsephotos.com) A recent change in surface from dirt to turf has done wonders for Joseph Witek’s homebred JOES BLAZING AARON (Graeme Hall). A little more than three weeks after stunning 11 rivals at 73-1 in wire-to-wire fashion for a $50,000 tag in his turf debut, Joes Blazing Aaron did the same against eight three-year-old foes in Saturday’s $150,000 Palm Beach S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park. Left alone to establish fractions of :24, :49 1/5 and 1:13 2/5, Joes Blazing Aaron was up at least 1 1/2 lengths at every call and had plenty of gas in the tank to extend his winning margin to 1 3/4 lengths at the wire of the nine-furlong test on firm turf. Under Orlando Bocachica, the Allan Hunter Jr.-trained Joes Blazing Aaron completed the distance in 1:47 4/5, returning $25.40, $12.80 and $5.80 at 11-1. Queen’splatekitten (Kitten’s Joy), the 2-1 favorite off an allowance score in his debut for Todd Pletcher, rallied from mid-pack to edge 5-1 chance Newsdad (Arch) for second by a head. Newsdad had 1 1/4 lengths up East of Danzig, who was followed by Ari C, Master Dunker, Liberty Cap, Rafe and Artful Run. The exotics were worth $149.20 (exacta), $702.60 (trifecta) and $4,411 (3-5-6-1 superfecta).

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2) winner Pluck (More Than Ready) was scratched
in favor of an allowance at Tampa Bay Downs, where he was upset at odds-on and
finished fourth.

Defeated by wide margins in his first three juvenile outings, all in maiden
claiming races, Joes Blazing Aaron finally woke up on October 31 with a
four-length win at Calder going six furlongs on dirt. After that $40,000 maiden
claiming score, the gelding lost his next two starts in allowance company by
wide margins then was eased in a one-mile starter allowance. However, he
responded favorably to the switch to turf for the aforementioned $50,000
claimer, streaking home by a length. His record now stands at 9-3-0-0, $123,864.

“There are lots of opportunities for him now and we’ll probably look at the
Transylvania (S. [G3]) at Keeneland next (on April 8),” Hunter said.

Bred in Kentucky and produced by the unraced Distorted Blaze (Distorted
Humor), Joes Blazing Aaron is a half-brother to the multiple Group 2-placed
Danse Grecque (Hold That Tiger), a juvenile colt named Tiz Sardonic Joe (Tiznow)
and a yearling colt by Majestic Warrior. Joes Blazing Aaron’s second dam was the
Grade 3-winning Suspect Terrain (Corridor Key) and his fourth dam was the noted
turf mare Princess Pout (Prince John), who produced two-time Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe (Fr-G1) hero and leading sire Alleged (Hoist the Flag). Others from
this tribe are Grade 1 winner Taking Risks (Two Punch) and multiple Group 3
winner Per Quod (Lyllos [Fr]).