Justin Phillip up just in time in Count Fleet Sprint Handicap
Justin Phillip up just in time in Count Fleet Sprint
Handicap
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Zayat Stables' Justin Phillip came from the back of the pack to capture Saturday's Grade 3, $250,000 Fleet Handicap at Oaklawn Park as the 6-5 favorite and paid $4.40, $3.20 and $2.80 to his backers. The Steve Asmussen trainee was outrun in the early going as Gentleman's Bet recorded an opening quarter in a quick :21 3/5. Eventual runner-up Picko's Pride took over the lead shortly after to post splits of :44 3/5 and :56 4/5 but couldn't hold off Justin Phillip in the end. Justin Phillip was asked for some run late in the turn and had to go four wide into the stretch, but got up just in time for the three-quarter length win. The five-year-old horse stopped the teletimer in 1:09 3/5 for the six-furlong contest over the fast main track with Ricardo Santana Jr. aboard. Picko's Pride, Gentleman's Bet, Laurie's Rocket, Outta Tune, Flashpoint and Amanecer de Oro completed the order under the wire. Apprehender was pulled up shortly after the start and vanned off.
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With Saturday's stakes win, Justin Phillip surprisingly captured only the
second stakes victory in his career. His first came in the Woody Stephens back
in 2011 at Belmont. In between his two stakes scores, the dark bay placed in the
King's Bishop at Saratoga, True North Handicap at Belmont, Mr. Prospector Stakes
at Monmouth, Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga and Palos Verdes at Santa
Anita in his 2013 opener. Before his victory in the Woody Stephens, the son of
First Samurai also placed in the Bay Shore and Jerome, both at Aqueduct.
Justin Phillip closed out 2012 with a fifth-place finish in last year's
Breeders' Cup Sprint, and was exiting a 4 1/2-length win in an optional claimer
over the Oaklawn track just last month. His record now stands at 26-6-4-7,
$782,162.
Bred in Kentucky by Oakbrook Farm, Justin Phillip was a $400,000 Keeneland
September yearling. Produced by the Grade 3-placed Cryptoclearance mare Ava
Knowsthecode, he is a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Keyed Entry as well as
Grade 3 heroes Successful Mission and Algorithms.
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