Chepstow outduels Goodtimehadbyall in Claiming Crown Iron Horse
Chepstow battled back during a sustained duel with Goodtimehadbyall in registering a hard-earned victory Saturday in the $110,000 Claiming Crown Iron Horse at Gulfstream Park.
With Edgard Zayas riding for owner GLAB Racing Stable LLC and trainer Ralph Ziadie, Chepstow led from the start of the 1 1/16-mile race after breaking sharply from the inside post. With a quarter-mile to go, Goodtimehadbyall and jockey Jose Ortiz had drawn even after overcoming the far outside post and appeared ready to edge away, but Chepstow dug down to prevail by a half-length. Chiseled was third and Cause I’m Alex was fourth in the full field of 14.
Chepstow, a 6-year-old Ontario-bred gelding by Harlington, paid $8.80 after finishing in 1:43.90 over a fast track. He now has won 8 of 34 career starts.
The top two finishers both were 3-1, with Goodtimehadbyall a slight favorite.
A stewards’ inquiry into a poor start for Racetrack Romance resulted in no change.
Tormenta de Oro pays $91.80 in Glass Slipper
About an hour earlier, Tormenta de Oro ($91.80) pulled one of the biggest upsets in 18 years of the Claiming Crown series when capturing the filly-and-mare counterpart to the Iron Horse, the $110,000 Glass Slipper.
With Luca Panici riding for owner-trainer Patrick Marcondes, Tormenta de Oro rallied inside when proving narrowly best in a four-horse blanket finish in the one-turn-mile Glass Slipper. Esken Lady was second, Amaluna was third, and Arella Princess was fourth in the field of 14.
It was by far the biggest win in 33 career starts for Tormenta de Oro, a 4-year-old Florida-bred by Benny the Bull. Her winning time was 1:38.53. Predictably, the mutuel payoffs were huge, including a 10-cent superfecta (5-2-4-3) worth $1,671.99.
Esken Lady and Tormenta de Oro were the respective one-two finishers on the Nov. 6 Preview Day prep at Gulfstream West, with Arella Princess third in the same key race.