Blindwillie McTell shrugs off bad start in Rego Park Stakes
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Blindwillie McTell overcame a stumbling start, withstood an early pace battle and then held off a late run from Kaden’s Courage to win Sunday’s $100,000 Rego Park Stakes by three-quarters of a length at Aqueduct.
It was the second straight stakes victory for Blindwillie McTell, who, as a maiden, won the Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Series on Dec. 16.
Breaking from post 2 under Dylan Davis, Blindwillie McTell stumbled when the gates opened. He recovered quickly but soon found himself involved in a four-horse pace battle with Bydawnsearlylight on his inside and Funny Guy and Show Prince to his outside. The quarter went in 22.63 seconds.
Into the far turn, Bydawnsearlylight gave way, but Funny Guy and Show Prince were still a nuisance to Blindwillie McTell.
Approaching the top of the lane, after a half-mile in 46.28 seconds, Blindwillie McTell opened up a clear advantage that he maintained until midstretch. Kaden’s Courage, under Manny Franco, was coming but Blindwillie McTell held on.
“For a split second I thought I was in a little bit of trouble,” Davis, who won three races on Sunday’s card, said, referring to the stumble. “But he’s so reactive, so responsive, he got back into the race very quickly.”
Blindwillie McTell, named by owner/breeder Jerald Zaro after a Bob Dylan song written about the blues singer of the same name, covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:18.99 and returned $ 4.20 to win.
Linda Rice, the trainer of Blindwillie McTell, believes her gelding can be effective from off the pace. But that style can wait for another day.
“His first race he sat off it and ran well, made a run. I don’t think that’s going to be a problem, it’s just today it didn’t unfold that way.”
Kaden’s Courage finished second by 1 1/4 lengths over Thorny Tale, who was followed, in order, by Show Prince, Kazmania, Tiergan, Just Right, Funny Guy, and Bydawnsearlylight.
Strive for a Cure and Bustin to Be Loved scratched.
