Potomac River nabs Skyring in Fair Grounds Handicap

Potomac River became a multiple Grade 3 winner with his photo-finish score (Lou Hodges Jr./Hodges Photography) Skyring and Gentleman’s Kitten each held long leads during Saturday’s Grade 3, $147,000 Fair Grounds Handicap, but it was 14-1 outsider Potomac River and jockey Juan Vargas who were celebrating at the end of the about nine-furlong test on turf. Down more than 14 lengths on the backside, Potomac River was aided by Skyring and Gentleman’s Kitten’s unexpected tag-team tactics on the front end. Skyring led by a half-length through a quarter in :24 1/5, and then allowed Gentleman’s Kitten to gain the lead after a half in :48 3/5. Gentleman’s Kitten, who raced well out in the middle of the course around the clubhouse turn, remained wide down the backside and opened up a seven-length lead. That margin was whittled down by Skyring approaching the quarter pole, and by the stretch Gentleman’s Kitten was a spent force.

Skyring regained the lead and opened up 2 1/2 lengths with a furlong to go,
and appeared to be on his way to victory. But Potomac River turned in a
sustained rally from sixth and won by a nose over Skyring in a time of 1:50 2/5
over a course rated good. He paid $31.40.

Skyring finished a length ahead of 6-5 favorite Daddy Nose Best. Gentleman’s
Kitten, Slip and Drive, Hard Aces, and Unitarian rounded out the order of
finish. Ground Transport and Mister Marti Gras were scratched in favor of the
Mineshaft Handicap later in the card.

Potomac River races for Maribel Ruelas and was saddled here by Jose Camejo,
who recently took over training duties from Sergio Baez.

“It’s amazing. I can’t describe my first stakes win because it’s too
emotional. It feels good,” Camejo said.

Unplaced in his first four stakes attempts, Potomac River ended his 12-race,
2013 campaign with a stunning 45-1 upset of the River City Handicap at Churchill
Downs on November 23. The five-year-old son of English Channel threw in a
clunker in his season debut, finishing last of eight in the January 18 Colonel
E.R. Bradley Handicap after a wide trip around both turns.

“Well, in that last race he was not ready,” Camejo added. “He shipped from Kentucky and he was not 100 percent. We
fixed a couple of things and he was 100 percent today.”

Potomac River’s record now stands at 20-6-2-2, $322,676.

Bred by Mereworth Farm in Kentucky, Potomac River was sold for just $2,300 as
an unraced three-year-old at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale.
He is out of the winning With Approval mare Reba’s Approval, herself a
half-sister to Grade 3 victor Reba’s Gold. This is the family of Grade 1 star
and $2.5 million-earner Dramatic Gold.

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