Gallant Stable’s Majestic Harbor thrived on the stretch-out to 1 1/2 miles in
Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,750
Tokyo City Cup at Santa Anita, kicking clear to earn his first career stakes
victory by three lengths.
Under a well-judged ride by Tyler Baze, the Sean McCarthy trainee was perched
a few lengths off a contested early pace. Segway and 2-1 favorite
Blueskiesnrainbows battled through quick fractions of :23 2/5 and :46 3/5 for
such a marathon. They began to slow down through six furlongs in 1:12 1/5, and
Blueskiesnrainbows was the first to give way under his top weight of 123 pounds.
By that point, Majestic Harbor was eager to go on, and Baze didn’t discourage
him. Drawing alongside Segway at the mile mark in 1:38, the 5-1 shot blew the
race open on the far turn. Majestic Harbor, who reached the 1 1/4-mile split in
2:03 1/5, posted a final time of 2:29 4/5 and paid $13.60 to win.
Argentine import Ever Rider closed for second, and Segway held third by a
neck from American Blend. Blueskiesnrainbows checked in another 9 1/4 lengths
adrift in fifth, followed by Toccetive, Niagara Falls and Tiz Dynamic.
Majestic Harbor has now bankrolled $331,764 from a record of 21-5-6-3.
Trained by Paul McGee earlier in his career, the son of Rockport Harbor tried
the 2011 Louisiana Derby off a big maiden win, ended up ninth, and headed to the
sidelines. He split time between McCarthy and McGee as a four-year-old, again
finishing unplaced in his stakes attempts in the 2012 Ralph Hinds at Fairplex
and the Tenacious at Fair Grounds.
One year ago, Majestic Harbor contested the New Orleans Handicap, where he
set the pace before retreating to sixth. Following a fifth in the Texas Mile and
a distant fourth in a Churchill allowance last May, he was shelved. The
six-year-old resurfaced with McCarthy this winter, and turned in an encouraging
second in the January 11 San Pasqual before a fourth in the February 8 San
Antonio. Connections opted to swerve the Santa Anita Handicap in favor of this
spot, and were rewarded.
Bred by Liberation Farm and Brandywine Farm in Kentucky, Majestic Harbor
brought $20,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. The bay was produced by the
stakes-placed French Deputy mare Champagne Royale, making him a half-brother to
last year’s Saratoga Special third, Danza.
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