Chase the Chaos has first stakes win in El Camino Real
Chase the Chaos continued his orderly improvement in recent months with a smart win in Saturday’s $101,350 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields, the leading race for 3-year-olds in Northern California.
Ridden by Armando Ayuso, Chase the Chaos ($10.40) rallied steadily through the last three furlongs to catch stretch leader Harcyn in the final furlong and win by 1 1/2 lengths over 9-5 favorite Gilmore, who closed well on the inside through the stretch.
“He was sharp,” Ayuso said of Chase the Chaos. “He does what you want him to do.”
Chase the Chaos ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.68, winning his second consecutive start and first stakes.
Chase the Chaos raced in fifth in a field of eight on the backstretch, well behind Nullarbor who set early fractions of 23.34 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.52 for a half-mile. Nullarbor led by as many as 5 1/2 lengths on the backstretch, but began to tire in the stretch. His margin was only a half-length with a furlong remaining.
Harcyn (9-2) closed well from second to briefly lead in the stretch, but could not sustain his advantage.
Chase the Chaos took the lead in the final sixteenth.
Gilmore finished a length in front of Harcyn, who was followed by Passarando, Nullarbor, Sea Dog, In Honor of Autism and Happy Does.
Chase the Chaos, a gelding by the Medaglia d’Oro stallion Astern, has won 3 of 6 starts and earned $123,000. Owned by Bill Dory and Adam Ference, Chase the Chaos was second and first in his first two starts in maiden races at Canterbury Park for trainer Robertino Diodoro in late summer before joining current trainer Ed Moger Jr.’s stable in the fall.
Chase the Chaos was third in the Golden Nugget Stakes at six furlongs and second to Passarando in the Gold Rush Stakes at a mile in his first two starts at Golden Gate Fields. Chase the Chaos ended his 2-year-old season with a win by 7 1/2 lengths in an allowance race at a mile on Dec. 30.
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