Corona Bolt fends off Hejazi to win Lafayette Stakes
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LEXINGTON, Ky. – Corona Bolt flashed both his lightning speed and his shining heart Friday at Keeneland, lasting on the lead and turning back favored Hejazi for a half-length win in the $400,000 Lafayette Stakes to remain unbeaten around one turn.
Corona Bolt ($6.82) has now won four of his five career starts in the colors of Stonestreet Stables for trainer Brad Cox, all at distances ranging from six furlongs to Friday's seven.
"He’s very good at this distance," Stonestreet owner Barbara Banke said. "At some point, he may go a little bit longer – I’m sure he could get a mile. But we’ll keep him going."
After winning his debut at 6 1/2 furlongs last November at Churchill Downs and the Sugar Bowl Stakes going six furlongs in December at Fair Grounds, Corona Bolt stretched out to 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes on Jan. 28 at Oaklawn Park. The Bolt d'Oro colt caught a sloppy, sealed track and raced farther off the lead than he had ever been to that point, eventually finishing sixth.
Corona Bolt got back on track with a front-running allowance victory going six furlongs March 5 at Oaklawn. He came out of that effort to fire a bullet work last weekend at the Arkansas track, signaling that he was ready for his return to Kentucky.
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Corona Bolt was away from the gate in good order under Florent Geroux – who has been in the irons for all his wins – and took the field through an opening quarter of 22.28 seconds. Favored Hejazi, Grade 1-placed as a juvenile last season and cutting back in distance while shipping in from California, was bumped between horses at the start, but then was confidently handled down the backstretch by John Velazquez, making up ground under his own power to move into striking range on the outside.
Corona Bolt still held a half-length lead around the turn through the half in 44.80 seconds, but Hejazi had moved up to press him on the outside. The two colts battled it out from there, with Hejazi drawing to even terms at one point, but Corona Bolt refused to be denied, forging his way back to the lead in the late stages.
The final time for the seven furlongs on the fast main track was 1:23.21.
Freezing Point, the longest shot on the board who was sixth of seven after the opening quarter, ran on creditably in the stretch, finishing just a head behind Hejazi in third. After the top three came Lugan Knight, Gulfport, Determinedly, and Hurricane J.
Gulfport, winner of the Bashford Manor and multiple graded stakes-placed last year, was sent away as the narrow third choice behind Hejazi and Corona Bolt, but never seriously threatened in his first start of the season.
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