Burning Ambition stretches win streak to four in Indiana Grand Stakes
Burning Ambition unleashed a powerful bid on the turn and remained strong to the wire to win her fourth straight race Wednesday in the $150,000 Indiana Grand.
One race later on the card, her stablemate Royal Prince had his number put up in the $150,000 Caesars with the disqualification of first-place finisher Dyn O Mite, giving trainer Brad Cox and jockey Fernando De La Cruz a sweep of the two turf stakes for 3-year-olds Wednesday.
There also were a pair of stakes for 2-year-olds.
Burning Ambition ($4.20) tracked the pace in third, sitting just off fractions of 23.34 seconds for the opening quarter and 46.77 for the half-mile. She picked up steam on the final turn and went on to cover the mile on firm ground in 1:34.91.
Burning Ambition won by seven lengths over Princess Theorem, while it was another 2 3/4 lengths back in third to Mrs Claus.
Burning Ambition was making her stakes debut. Her streak started last October, in a maiden special weight and continued with back-to-back allowances on the turf. She has now won 4 of 5 starts and earned $174,242. Burning Ambition is a daughter of Uncle Mo and the Group 1-winning mare Do You Remember. She races for her breeder, Michael de Broglio.
Royal Prince ($3.60), who is a half-brother to champion British Idiom, finished second in the Caesars after battling all the way down the stretch with Dyn O Mite. Following the race, De La Cruz lodged an objection against Jose Riquelme, the rider of Dyn O Mite, and after a lengthy look by the stewards, Royal Prince was put up and Dyn O Mite was placed second. The disqualification was for interference, as Riquelme’s stick made contact with Royal Prince in the face, according to an explanation announced on the simulcast feed from Indiana Grand.
The first two finishers were separated by a half-length, with Dyn O Mite covering the mile on firm turf in 1:35.26. Royal Prince races for Steve Landers. He is now 4 for 11 with earnings of $306,190. He is by Cairo Prince.
* Holy Justice ($27) was a half-length winner over Louder the Words in the $100,000 Back Home Again for 2-year-old fillies, covering six furlongs in 1:13.24. Riquelme was aboard the daughter of Harry’s Holiday for Southwest Racing, Bruce Murphy, and trainer Genaro Garcia.
* Mowins ($4.80) came rolling down the middle of the track to catch Oro Ozteca and win the $100,000 Circle City. The winner covered six furlongs on a fast track in 1:11.89. Samuel Bermudez was aboard for Clary Thoroughbreds, Penny Lauer, and trainer Michael Lauer. Mowins is by Mohaymen.