The nine-year-old veteran Musketier rallied powerfully in deep stretch to
capture Friday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Elkhorn, Keeneland’s closing-day feature, for
the second straight year. Owned by Stella Perdomo, the 2-1 favorite reached peak
form in his third start off the layoff for trainer Roger Attfield, who has now
won three straight — and four of the last six — runnings of the turf marathon.
“He’s a wonderful old guy, isn’t he?” Attfield
remarked. “You look after them and keep them happy, they usually give you
everything they’ve got and he certainly does.”
Musketier garnered the 2010 Elkhorn in his return from a six-month holiday,
and has raced sparingly since. In his only other appearance last season, he
finished third in the October 21 Grade 3 Sycamore over the same course and 1
1/2-mile distance. Musketier was spelled again until the Gulfstream Park meet
this winter. Third in the February 19 Grade 2 Mac Diarmida in his reappearance,
he showed that he was rounding into form with a closing second in the March 26
Grade 3 Pan American.
Pan American winner Rahy’s Attorney attempted to go wire-to-wire in the
Elkhorn, and looked ready to make good that threat for about 11 furlongs. The
former Canadian turf champion was firmly in command while doling out fractions
of :25 3/5, :51 1/5, 1:16 3/5 and 1:42 2/5. Miami Deco gave chase, with Bearpath
and Windward Islands also prominent for much of the way. Musketier, on the other
hand, was reserved further adrift in the pack by John Velazquez.
Rahy’s Attorney kept motoring past the 1 1/4-mile mark in 2:07 1/5, still
held a 1 1/2-length cushion in midstretch, but couldn’t maintain it in the final
sixteenth. Although Windward Islands was the first closer to loom boldly, it was
the other gray wider out, Musketier, who produced the devastating change of
gear.
Mowing down the longtime leader, Musketier pulled away to an authoritative
score in a final time of 2:32 on the yielding turf. He thus became the third
horse to repeat in the Elkhorn, joining African Dancer (1998-99) and Kim Loves
Bucky (2002-03).
“He does (like Keeneland),” Attfield said. “I have a great respect for Rahy’s
Attorney. You know, we’ve been competitors against each other for a long time
now. He beat me at Gulfstream just this last race (the Pan American). When I saw
him four (lengths) in front turning for home I thought, ‘You know, you get to
that horse and they’ve got a little bit left.’ But my horse ran great today.”
“I broke from the outside,” Velazquez recapped, “and I wanted to make sure
and save some ground. They slowed down when we came around the first time. He
was a little bit keen behind horses, and I was forced to stay there. I didn’t
want to get to the clear too soon and be running off. Once we got to the quarter
pole I moved out and he came through.”
Velazquez wasn’t surprised by the response provided by Musketier.
“No, I knew he has that kick,” the rider said. “He won here last year, so I
was hoping that when I pulled him out he would respond in just the same way and
he did. I was very proud of the way he did it.”
Musketier returned $6.60, $4 and $3 after crossing the wire 1 1/4 lengths
clear. Pool Play, who was a dozen lengths back in the early going, closed
energetically for runner-up honors and overhauled Windward Islands by a length.
Simmard, Attfield’s other runner, collared Rahy’s Attorney for fourth. Bearpath,
Miami Deco, Mint Chip, Telling and the ever-trailing Rezif completed the order
of finish.
Winner of the Group 3 Prix de Conde at two in France, Musketier placed twice at the Group
3 level but failed to win another stakes during his stay in Europe. Third in the
2007 Grade 2 Red Smith in his U.S. debut, the gray was out of action throughout
2008. Runner-up to stablemate Spice Route (GB) in the 2009 Elkhorn, he captured
that season’s Grade 3 Singspiel
at Woodbine and was second to three-time champion Gio Ponti in the
Grade 1
Man o’ War. With this fourth graded score, Musketier has now
bankrolled $771,430 from a line of 37-8-6-5.
Bred in Germany by Gestut Gorlsdorf, Musketier is out of the winning Myth and
Reality, a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Miatuschka, stakes winner Master Peace
and the stakes-placed Mille Miglia. She’s also produced the stakes-placed
Maisha. Musketier’s fourth dam produced German champion colt *Marduk II and his
French classic-winning full sister Mata Hari.