Clapton outduels O'Connor in Ghostzapper Stakes
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A last-minute decision first to enter and then subsequently run Clapton in Saturday’s $150,000 Ghostzapper ultimately paid big dividends after the Arindel homebred outgamed O’Connor to register a surprising but surely well-deserved half-length victory as a 21-1 outsider in the Grade 3 fixture for older horses.
Simplification, the 6-5 favorite, finished a disappointing fifth, while First Captain, the second choice in the wagering, checked home seventh and last in his first start since October.
Brian Cohen, racing manager for Arindel Farm and son of owner Alan Cohen, said the original plan had been to give Clapton some time off following his third-place finish under allowance conditions here March 12. But with the prospects of a short field in a graded stakes, the decision was made to put Clapton’s name in the box when entries were taken for Saturday’s card a week before the race then see how he breezed the following morning.
After the 4-year-old son of Brethren turned in a strong five-furlong work alongside stablemate Flakes here last Sunday morning, Cohen said at that point he saw no reason not to run.
With jockey Emisael Jaramillo back aboard for the first time since June, Clapton settled near the rear of the seven-horse field, with Tampa Bay Downs invader Surly Furious setting the pace, as expected, from his inside post. Clapton made a quick move to join the leaders three wide leaving the backstretch, then outdueled O’Connor while under vigorous handling from Jaramillo through the final three furlongs.
O’Connor raced well placed stalking the early leader, remained in hand and confidently handled while sticking his head in front on the final turn, but could not quite match strides with the winner when set down for the drive.
Surly Furious proved no match for the top pair after being displaced on the lead but was able to outlast the others to finish third, 3 3/4 lengths behind O’Connor. Simplification raced within easy striking distance but was done after six furlongs. First Captain never threatened in a very disappointing effort.
Clapton completed 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:44.94 and returned $44.40. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 98 for the effort.
“He’s run against tough horses all winter,” the younger Cohen said. “After his last race, we planned on giving him a little bit of a break with the goal of maybe winning an allowance race when there weren’t any killers around here. But he was really training super, the race looked like it was coming up really short, and after his work with Flakes it gave us a lot of confidence. I will admit I am slightly surprised he won, but it’s not like I doubted him. Emisael has really wanted to get back on him for a long time, he was really excited to get the chance, and he rode a great race.”
Weyburn repeats in Sir Shackleton
It wasn’t quite as easy as the first time, but Weyburn was able to successfully defend his title after narrowly holding the rail-skimming Dean Delivers at bay to capture the seven-furlong, $105,000 Sir Shackleton Stakes for a second consecutive year.
Weyburn made his only local start a winning one here last winter when rallying from last to a convincing 2 1/2-length victory in the Sir Shackleton, for which he received a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure. Weyburn was trained by Brendan Walsh at the time but was reunited with his original trainer, Jimmy Jerkens, prior to the start of his 2023 campaign. He opened his season with a promising second-place finish behind odds-on White Abarrio competing under allowance conditions returning from a seven-month vacation here March 4.
With Jose Ortiz aboard for the first time, Weyburn broke a step slow but recovered to race within easy striking distance outside horses in the run down the backstretch. The tepid 2-1 favorite came six wide off the turn to continue his bid, stuck his head in front of the pacesetting Mish nearing the furlong grounds, and, despite trying to lug in some through midstretch, prevailed by a neck under strong handling, giving Ortiz his third win on the card.
Dean Delivers slipped up the rail to arguably gain a very narrow lead between calls inside the final furlong but was not quite good enough. Steal Sunshine was going best of all down the center of the course to finish another neck further back in third.
Weyburn, a 5-year-old homebred owned by Chiefswood Stables Limited, paid $6.40 after covering the distance in 1:22.15.
“He closed in while going wide against the fastest quarter, which told on him late, but he had enough,” Jerkens said. “He really fought back. He was doing great and happy he persevered, thank God. I had him as a 3-year-old and he was in and out. He ran some incredible races but when he packed it in at the quarter pole in the Jim Dandy, I couldn’t believe it. Against pretty good horses, but that broke my heart. We really didn’t know what to think after that. But maybe he’ll be a nice 5-year-old.”
Jerkens said the Grade 3 Westchester going a mile on May 5 at Belmont Park could be next for Weyburn.
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