Aqueduct: Inherit the Gold keeps on rolling in Excelsior

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Stop us if you’ve heard this one before, perhaps as recently as last week. The lone New York-bred from a small stable runs in a long-time stakes fixture and beats out Todd Pletcher Inc. in a field of five.

That was the script for last week’s 139th Ladies when the Linda White-trained R Betty Graybull ran down 2-5 Quiet Giant, and it was déjà vu all over again when Inherit the Gold powered to a decisive score in Saturday’s 99th running of the Grade 3, $98,000 Excelsior Stakes.

Inherit the Gold swept four starts at the inner-track meet for trainer Jim Hooper, and proved he needn’t carry his racetrack around with him after overtaking Pletcher’s pacesetter Understatement turning for home and kicking clear from Pletcher’s Modern Cowboy after nine furlongs in 1:50.34 on a main track upgraded from good to fast midway through the day.

Inherit the Gold ($4.80), a 5-year-old homebred gelding by Gold Token, scored by 6 1/4 lengths as the third winner on the card for Eddie Castro, and earned $60,000 for his fifth consecutive victory and sixth from his last seven starts.

“Eddie knew he might have to stay a little closer today and he did,” said Hooper. “He’s a very, very smart horse, way smarter than we are. I’m just going to enjoy this one – who knows where he’ll go next?”

Modern Cowboy out-finished uncoupled stablemate Understatement, with the trifecta for the three favorites in order coming back $21.40.

More Than a Reason and Goombada Guska completed the order of finish.