Saturday’s $350,000
Third when making his two-turn debut in the Sam F. Davis, Gilbert G.
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Moonhanger (Malibu Moon) rushed to the early lead after flipping in the gate
and delaying the start, reaching the quarter-mile mark in :23 3/5, but Brethren
was away quickly from post 9 and surged to the front before the conclusion of
the first turn while three wide. Brethren opened a 1 1/2-length advantage on the
backstretch, completing the opening half-mile in a comfortable :48 1/5. Watch Me
Go stalked the pace in midpack during the early stages and advanced to a
striking position in third leaving the backstretch.
After chasing the pace in second, Crimson Knight put pressure on Brethren on
the far turn. Brethren was along the rail with Ramon Dominguez and entered the
stretch in a full drive, passing the three-quarters mark with a head lead in
1:12 3/5, but he gave way with a little less than a furlong left to run. Crimson
Knight passed Brethren and tried gamely to last until the wire, but Watch Me Go
had momentum on the far outside and wore down his rival in deep stretch,
finishing the 1 1/16-mile event in 1:44 1/5 over the fast track.
Luis Garcia had the mount on the Kathleen O’Connell-trained winner, who paid
$89.40, $28.80 and $8.80 for the upset.
“I was really happy, and I was sure he’d dig in,” O’Connell said. “He’s
exhibited a great amount of heart, and he really tried hard. His last race was
his first time going two turns, and it was a graded race. Unfortunately, if
you’ve got a three-year-old that’s won a few races, there’s not an easy prep
spot. But he’s just fulfilled a lot for the owner and for myself.”
“I knew this horse was something special,” Garcia added. “He was only third
in the Davis, but he showed me something; that was his first time stretching out
and learning to relax behind a good pace. That experience helped us today. We
broke well today and the plan was to get in behind the favorite Brethren and to
follow him along and wait for the stretch. Brethren took a challenge from that
other horse going into the turn and I was able to wait a bit longer; then when I
asked him in the stretch he had a lot of run left. Sometimes everything works
out just right!”
Crimson Knight proved to be a savvy
$16,000 claim for his new connections, who haltered the gelding from a February
24 turf win at Tampa Bay Downs, and the former claimer returned $50 and $11.80 to his
supporters. Brethren held third by 2 3/4 lengths over fourth-placer Beamer
(Vindication), who was followed under the wire by Economic Summit (Malibu Moon),
Free Entry (Tale of the Cat), Too Experience (Drewman), Striding Ahead (Empire
Maker) and Moonhanger. Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie) was withdrawn in favor of the
Timely Writer S. at Gulfstream Park.
Out of the unraced Sabbath Song (Deputy Minister), Watch Me Go counts the
stakes-placed Asgoodasshelooks as a full brother. His dam is a half-sister to
stakes winners Blitzer (Ziggy’s Boy), Diamonds Galore (Diamond Shoal [GB]) and
Cozy Star (Cozzene), and Watch Me Go’s second dam is the stakes0winning Sirona
(Irish Stronghold). This is also the female family of stakes winners and Grade 2
runner-ups Mufattish (Hansel) and Regal Dreamer (Architect).
Watch Me Go captured his career debut at Calder last May and recorded an 8
1/2-length victory over allowance/optional claiming rivals at Tampa Bay prior to
his third in the Sam F. Davis. He upped his career earnings to $311,345 on
Saturday.
Watch Me Go will receive his final prep for the Kentucky Derby in either the
Arkansas Derby (G1) or Blue Grass S. (G1), both on April 16, according to his
connections.