Departing thereby handed Claiborne Farm an historically significant 33rd
“It means a lot to all the farm employees and everyone that’s put in so much
“I’ve only been around for a few of these,” the 25-year-old added, “but
That historic score very nearly didn’t happen, for until Wednesday morning,
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“Being by War Front they seem to run so well on the turf, we figured we
better give him another shot,” Hancock said. “I’m glad we did. It was a
last-minute audible, too, at about 10 a.m. on Wednesday when we decided to
change course (from the Kelly’s Landing).”
Departing, the 4-1 third choice, was reserved a little past midpack early.
The 5-2 Frac Daddy (Scat Daddy) set the pace under pressure from 8-5 favorite Sky Flight (Sky
Mesa) through splits of :24 2/5, :48 3/5 and 1:13 1/5 on the good turf.
Departing took closer order and, on the far turn, angled over to the inside,
where Frac Daddy was drifting out just enough to create an opening.
But as Departing seized that invitation at the top of the lane, it appeared
to narrow again. The bay had to insist on maintaining that position, at the cost
of brushing the hedge, and his gameness paid off. Punching through to the front,
he safely held the late thrust of Knights Nation (Indygo Shiner). Departing
covered the mile in 1:38 and rewarded his loyalists with a $10.40 win mutuel.
“We went for the hole and they tried to make it tight but he’s a good horse,”
Mena said. “This kind of horse has that big heart. He was full of run. I have
the horse to go in there. The trip was great. It set up perfect for us with some
pretty good speed. He was just the best horse today.”
“Miguel did a great job riding him right up the hedge,” Hancock said. “He
might have even brushed it, I don’t know. It was very exciting though. I’m just
glad he finally put it together and could get back in the winner’s circle.”
Sky Flight, who was racing for the first time since January, understandably
tired late in third. Slip By (Curlin) closed wider out for fourth, while Frac
Daddy reported home last of the eight runners.
Departing’s resume now reads 17-8-2-3, $1,720,559. Among the top
three-year-olds of 2013, he garnered the West Virginia Derby (G2), Super Derby
(G2), Illinois Derby (G3) and Texas Heritage S. and also placed in the Louisiana
Derby (G2). But Departing lost his way at four. Despite his comeback win in a
Churchill allowance that spring, he went winless for the rest of 2014. His best
efforts were a pair of seconds in the Fayette (G2) and Homecoming Classic and a
third in the Stephen Foster (G1).
Hence the surface switch for 2015. The Opening Verse served as the tightener
for the Firecracker, which halted a six-race losing skid, and simultaneously
widened his horizons.
“I’ll talk to (trainer) Al (Stall Jr.),” Hancock said. “Maybe the
Fourstardave (G2) or Bernard Baruch (G2) (both on turf at Saratoga) — something
like that.
“This opens up a whole other set of races for him. Maybe we can even target
the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) or something at Keeneland. We’ll have to figure it
out but it opens a whole new avenue for us, which is very exciting.”
The Kentucky-bred Departing is out of Leave (Pulpit), a full sister to
multiple stakes winner Laity and to Guide, the dam of multiple stakes scorer The
Great War (also by War Front). Leave is also a half-sister to multiple Grade 3
vixen Trip (Lord at War) and to multiple stakes heroine Joke (Phone Trick), who
produced multiple Grade 1-winning sprinter Zensational (Unbridled’s Song).
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