Amerman Racing’s Trikari exploded down the stretch in Sunday’s $500,000 Secretariat (G2), joining sire Oscar Performance (2017) and paternal grandsire Kitten’s Joy (2004) on the race’s honor roll. His forebears won the Secretariat at its original home of Arlington Park when it was a 1 1/4-mile contest. Still, the annals will record Trikari’s name among their successors in its one-mile incarnation at Colonial Downs.
Like Oscar Performance, who was an Amerman homebred, Trikari was also coming off a victory in the Belmont Derby (G1). The Graham Motion trainee just scraped home by a head that day, over a paceless 1 3/16 miles, but reverting in trip brought out the best in him here.
Trikari, the 3-2 second choice, bided his time in fourth early. But he was a couple of lengths ahead of 7-10 favorite Brilliant Berti, and Trikari’s better position proved decisive.
Up front, General Ledger set steady fractions of :24.24 and :48.26 on the firm inner turf, attended by Mattingly. The pace was lifting by the six-furlong stage in 1:11.98, and Trikari was already on the move for Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez.
Swooping past the leaders at the top of the lane, Trikari rapidly cleared away by three lengths in midstretch. Brilliant Berti set off in pursuit but couldn’t trim the margin in any meaningful way. Trikari maintained a 2 1/4-length advantage at the wire while finishing the mile in 1:34.92.
In a Jam checked in a further four lengths astern in third. General Ledger folded to fourth, followed by Mattingly and the ever-trailing Rock’n Halo.
Three Secretariat entrants were withdrawn: First World War; Fulmineo, who trailed in Sunday’s Saratoga Derby (G1); and Bear River, who stuck to sprinting in Colonial’s Van Clief S. and finished sixth.
Trikari is now a millionaire with $1,303,530 in earnings from a record of 8-5-1-1. The four-time stakes winner captured the Rushaway S. on Turfway Park’s Tapeta and the American Turf (G2) on Kentucky Derby Day. He was also a close third, beaten all of a neck, in the May 31 Penn Mile (G3).
The bay has come a long way since his days as a bargain-basement yearling. Sold for a mere $9,000 at Keeneland January, he brought $27,500 at OBS October.
Trikari was bred in Kentucky by Michael Slezak and Amy Boll. His dam, the Grade 3-winning Harlan’s Holiday mare Dynamic Holiday, is a half sister to graded scorers Varenka and Lift Up.
Undercard stakes
The $163,250 Van Clief S. witnessed an 8-1 upset courtesy of Dream Shake. Godolphin’s 3-5 favorite, Mischief Magic, blew the break and got no nearer than seventh.
Making his first start of the season for Mike Stidham, Dream Shake got the jump on deep-closing Witty and prevailed by three-quarters of a length. Ben Curtis guided Dream Shake through 5 1/2 furlongs on the outer course in 1:02.51.
The companion Andy Guest S. for distaffers went to 4-5 favorite Beauty of the Sea. But the $151,000 turf sprint was marred by the breakdown of Medalla Match, who was rallying smartly in the middle of the course when she went amiss. Beauty of the Sea faced no challenges thereafter. Under Paco Lopez, the Joe Orseno trainee opened up by 1 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:03.03 over 5 1/2 furlongs on the inner course. Medalla Match was transported off the course by the equine ambulance.
Earlier on the main track, Regalo outdueled Awesome Ruta to spring a 17-1 surprise in the $102,000 Petramalo Mile. Trained by Brittany Russell and piloted by husband Sheldon Russell, Regalo came within an eyelash of the 1:33.70 track record when clocking 1:33.71. Hades, the 1-2 favorite, was a grinding third another half-length away.
The market was correct in the $102,000 Penny Chenery S., where 7-5 favorite Carmelina just held on by a neck from Cap Classique. The Butch Reid filly negotiated seven furlongs in 1:21.09 with Mychel Sanchez aboard.
