Midnight Cello (Midnight Lute) broke a step slow and was last of seven
runners early in Saturday’s $100,000
Hanshin Cup (G3) at Arlington, but the five-year-old gelding sprinted
forward along the rail and blew past Hogy (Offlee Wild) to seize the lead midway
down the backstretch. The Michael Tomlinson trainee was in complete control the
rest of the way, posting a 5 1/2-length tally beneath jockey Florent Geroux.
The 5-1 fourth choice in the wagering completed a mile in 1:34 4/5 on the
Polytrack, with the only suspense involving the minor awards as Mister Marti
Gras (Belong to Me) edged even-money favorite Hogy by a half-length for second
in the final strides.
Unplaced in his first three starts this season, Midnight Cello registered his
first stakes win. The Patricia’s Hope LLC colorbearer had placed in six
black-type events, including a second in last year’s Miami Mile H. (G3), and the
dark bay Kentucky-bred has now earned $292,740 from a 27-6-7-4 career line.
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