Charlie says adios to Jerome rivals

With a furlong to go in Saturday's $150,000

Jerome S.

(Grade 2) at Aqueduct, Adios Charlie looked destined to fill the

runner-up slot as Justin Phillip had made a sweeping move to the

lead off the turn and forged ahead by a length. No sooner had that thought

crossed the minds of most objective observers than Justin Phillip began to

shorten stride despite being under strong urging from Ramon Dominguez. Taking

advantage of the situation, Adios Charlie re-rallied inside of an empty Justin

Phillip and pulled away late to take the historic one-mile fixture, being run at

Aqueduct for the first time since 1967, by 2 1/2 lengths. The final time over

the sloppy going was 1:36 4/5.

Breaking on top in the field of eight from the widest point, Adios Charlie

relinquished the lead before leaving the chute and settled into a pace-pressing

position outside 2-1 favorite Cal Nation. That rival had a

half-length advantage through a quarter in :23 1/5 and a half in :47, and the

pair were closely followed by 2-1 second choice Astrology along the

inside and the 5-1 Justin Phillip outside.

Approaching the quarter pole, Justin Phillip ranged up to join the two

longtime leaders while under very minimal urging and appeared to be going best

of the entire field. He moved ahead by a half-length as the six-furlong mark was

reached in 1:11 4/5, with Adios Charlie holding second and Cal Nation beating a

steady retreat. Until just inside the eighth pole Justin Phillip looked to have

the race under control, but he simply failed to stay on as Adios Charlie came

back and a resurgent Astrology also came on late to beat Justin Phillip for

second by a neck.

"I didn't want to move with (Justin Phillip) early," winning jockey Rajiv

Maragh said. "Going into the turn he started ranging up pretty strong and I felt

like the best thing was to not go all out at that point of the race. I felt like

if I went with him and we both started slowing up at the end, someone might beat

us both. I just tried to ride my horse and I didn't feel like it was the right

time to go when Justin Phillip moved. So, I just waited a little more and then I

made my stretch run and my horse had a lot left in the end. He was running well

within himself all the way down the backstretch, so I felt like he was going to

give me a lot in the stretch."

Adios Charlie, the 6-1 fifth choice, paid $14.60, $6.30 and $4.90 while

capping the $61.50 exacta and $266.50 trifecta. The 8-1-7-5 superfecta with 3-1

third choice Rattlesnake Bridge paid $1,080. The order of finish was

completed by Isn't He Perfect, Starship Caesar,

Gallant Dreams and Cal Nation.

"That was a big thrill, I thought he ran great," said trainer Stan Hough, who

co-owns Adios Charlie with Robert Sahn. "The timing worked out. As for what's

next, we'll have to talk about it. I didn't nominate him to the Triple Crown,

but obviously the Preakness (S. [Grade 1] on May 21) is a thought. There's also the

Peter Pan (S. [Grade 2] on May 14). There are a lot of options for three-year-olds.

We'll try to make the right decision. Obviously he's got some talent and

hopefully he'll move forward."

The lightly-raced Adios Charlie finished second by a length in his debut at

Belmont Park last October, but did not reappear under colors until March 30 in a

6 1/2-furlong maiden at Gulfstream. Dispatched as the prohibitive 1-2 favorite,

Adios Charlie posted a comfortable 6 3/4-length triumph under Maragh. This

second win from three career starts boosted his lifetime earnings to $134,040.

Bred in Florida by Brylynn Farm, Adios Charlie was a $400,000 OBS March

two-year-old in training purchase. He was produced by the stakes-winning Teak

Totem, a full sister to this year's Gulfstream Park Turf S.

(Grade 1) winner Teaks North, who finished fourth in the April 14 Irish Tower S. over

Aqueduct's main track. Teak Totem also counts as a half-brother multiple Grade 2

winner Wooden Phone.

In addition to Adios Charlie, Teak Totem has reared the Canadian

stakes-placed Streakin' Mohican, a yearling colt by Smoke

Glacken and a 2011 colt by Midnight Lute.