Rapid Redux, who has not lost a race since November 18, 2010, has been
established as the 3-5 morning line favorite by Maryland Jockey Club handicapper
Frank Carulli in Wednesday’s
6TH race at Laurel, a $17,000 starter allowance.
However, trainer David Wells revealed Tuesday afternoon that his star “grabbed a
quarter” in his right front foot a few days ago.
“There is a little cut on his right front foot,” Wells said. “We are a little
bit concerned about tomorrow. It is kind of up in the air. We are working as
hard as we can to get it healed up for where it isn’t tender. It does bother him
to push on it. It is a little spot, the size of a thumbnail. I had the
blacksmith take off his glue-on shoes because we thought that was aggravating
but it is all coming from where he grabbed himself.”
Rapid Redux, who broke the record for consecutive wins last November at
Mountaineer Park with his 20th straight score, looks to extend his winning
streak to 22 on opening day of the Maryland racing season at Laurel. The now
six-year-old was a perfect 19-for-19 in 2011.
“Laurel is a really good surface and hopefully we can try to extend our
streak tomorrow afternoon,” Wells added. “We will be on the road by 9 a.m. (EST)
if everything is good to go.”
Owner Robert Cole, a Baltimore County, Maryland, native, claimed the son of
Pleasantly Perfect at Penn National for $6,250 on October 13, 2010. Since then,
the gelding has won 22 of 23 races with earnings of $256,384. The win streak
began December 2, 2010 at Penn National.
“Robert and I talked back and forth today,” Wells said. “Laurel lays out the
red carpet every time and it is great to go there. I hope we can have this
little cut to where it does not bother him. We surely don’t want to get beat and
I want to do what is best by the horse.”
Post time for Wednesday’s sixth race is 2:55 p.m. The race will be broadcast
live on HRTV.