Philip and Marcia Cohen’s CLOSING ARGUMENT (Successful Appeal) edged away
from his rivals in the final sixteenth of a mile for a 1 1/2-length score in
Saturday’s $150,000
Holy Bull S. (G3). Overlooked at nearly 8-1 in the first
two-turn graded test for three-year-olds at Gulfstream Park, the Kiaran
McLaughlin charge entered the stretch drive in the middle of a three-horse fray,
with Kansas City Boy (Boston Harbor) closest to the rail and 3-5 favorite High
Fly (Atticus) on his outside flank. The bay colt was clearly going best of all
under jockey Cornelio Velasquez by midstretch and went on to complete nine
furlongs over the fast track in 1:50.
Kansas City Boy, who was off at 11-1, seized command early, setting splits of
:23, :46 3/5 and 1:11 2/5 with Closing Argument in close attendance the whole
way. High Fly, who was carried wide into the first bend from post 8 and
continued to travel well off the rail the entire way, was also up close tracking
the front-runners while losing ground on both turns. After gaining second
between calls in the stretch drive, the previously unbeaten High Fly gave up the
place in the final yards to Kansas City Boy.
Closing Argument paid $17.80, $7.60 and $2.80 for the win and keyed the
$65.60 exacta ($1) and $160.70 trifecta ($1). Kansas City Boy gave back $9.80
and $3.40, and High Fly was good for $2.10. It was another eight lengths back to
fourth-placer Criminal Mind (Cryptoclearance), who capped the $1,113.70
superfecta for $1. Dearest Mon (Maria’s Mon), Drum Major (Dynaformer), Hostile
Witness (Successful Appeal) and G P’s Black Knight (Tiger Ridge) came next under
the wire.
Winner of the restricted NATC Futurity S. in his second career outing,
Closing Argument then finished third in the In Reality division of the Florida
Stallion S. and second in both the Jack Price Juvenile S. and Delta Jackpot
S. He’s now earned $511,984 from a 6-3-2-1 line. Purchased for $100,000 at last
April’s OBS sale, Closing Argument was bred in Florida by France and Irwin
Weiner and is the first foal from the unraced Mrs. Greeley (Mr. Greeley), who
has also produced an unnamed two-year-old filly by Yes It’s Ture and a weanling
colt by Exchange Rate.