WinStar Farm LLC’s General Election bided his time in last early in Saturday
evening’s Grade 3, $110,400
Jefferson Cup at Churchill Downs before coming with a furious late rally to
just get the neck win under jockey Joe Rocco Jr. Sent off the 2-1 favorite
against his six rivals, the Harlan’s Holiday sophomore paid $6.20.
Tate’s Landing led the way while three wide down the backstretch through
swift splits of :22 4/5, :46 2/5 and 1:11 1/5. Balino was utilizing a much
better ground-saving trip on the inside, but neither could withstand the rush of
late runners as the rest of the field caught up entering the turn.
Redwood Kitten was first to pounce, circling the final turn three wide before
angling to the rail and taking a two-length lead in the lane. Tate’s Landing was
still there plugging along but General Election has arrived on the scene by this
point. The Kellyn Gorder-trained bay swooped in the shadow of the wire to get
his neck in front and finish a mile on the firm turf in 1:35 4/5.
Redwood Kitten easily held second by 2 1/4 lengths over the closing
Gentleman’s Kitten, who had three parts of a length to spare on fourth-placer
Miceli. One More Cat was another half-length back in fifth, while Tate’s Landing
and Balino completed the order under the wire. Rapscallion and Ray’s Away were
both scratched.
General Election was visiting the winner’s circle for the first time since
taking the Arlington Classic on May 25. The sophomore earned his first stakes
victory in the John Battaglia earlier this season, and was unplaced in his two
starts since the Arlington Classic while crisscrossing the country, though only
beaten two lengths when fifth in the Del Mar Derby last out.
Also boasting a runner-up effort in the April 20 Lexington at Keeneland,
General Election boosted his earnings to $285,189 while improving his career
mark to 10-4-2-0 with Saturday night’s win.
Bred in Kentucky by Meg and Mike Buckley, General Election was knocked down
for $70,000 as a Keeneland September yearling before coming to his current
connections as a $150,000 OBS March two-year-old in training purchase.
He is out of the Kingmambo mare Menekineko, making him a half-brother to the
winning Ready’s Echo, who placed in such prestigious Grade 1 events as the
Belmont Stakes, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and Forego. Ready’s Echo also placed in
the Jamaica Handicap on turf.
General Election’s fourth dam is French champion Madelia, who captured both
the French One Thousand Guineas and French Oaks. This female family also
includes Japanese champions Aventura and Tall Poppy as well as Group 1 winners
Mount Hagen, Mersey and Muncie.
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