Dashman draws into field, springs upset in McKnight
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When trainer Brian Lynch put Dashman on a van at 7:30 a.m. from the Palm Meadows training center to Gulfstream Park Saturday, he hadn’t been told officially that his horse had drawn in from the also-eligible list for Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 William L. McKnight Stakes.
Shortly after the van left, however, Lynch received a call from the Gulfstream Park racing office informing him there had been a scratch – Goldeneye – from the race.
“I told them he’s on his way,” Lynch said.
That scratch proved fortuitous for Lynch and his owners Frankly Speaking as Dashman persevered past a stubborn Limited Liability in deep stretch and then won a bob over the late-running Cash Equity to win the McKnight by a nose. It was a neck back to Limited Liability in third.
It was the third win from eight starts for Dashman but first in a stakes. He had finished fourth in the Jockey Club Derby at Aqueduct and seventh in the Commonwealth Turf at Churchill Downs.
“He’s always trained like a horse we had high regards for, didn’t think he got the best of trips after we last ran him so we gave him a little bit of a breather and try to prep him for this,” Lynch said. “He had to step up; he had never run against these sort of horses today, but evidently he was ready for it.”
Under Florent Geroux, Dashman fell into a beautiful trip as Cathkin Peak went out to set quick fractions with Limited Liability chasing him. Dashman was all by himself in third.
Limited Liability re-engaged Cathkin Peak, took over from him in upper stretch, but Dashman came with his run to get up, while holding off the late bid from Cash Equity.
“I didn’t pay attention to the two horses in front because I felt they burned a lot of gas the first quarter of a mile,” Geroux said. “I stayed composed, made sure my horse was in a good rhythm and the horse was brave all the way down the lane. He lugged in a little bit at the eighth pole, I was able to correct him. It was a great performance and a great training job by Brian.”
Dashman, a son of Oscar Performance – whom Lynch also trained – covered the 1 1/2 miles in 2:24.58 over firm turf and returned $40.40 to win. Dashman was given a 99 Beyer Speed Figure.
Cash Equity lost his 14th straight race but finished second for the fifth time during that span.
“He always runs well but he always gets beat,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. “He got a dream trip until the top of the lane then he had go outside. He always kinds of waits and then he surges in the end. The distance was an unknown. I’m very happy to know we can go a mile-and-a half with him. You can never be upset with him because he always tries. One day he’ll break through.”
Forever After All breaks through in La Prevoyante
After three tough straight narrow defeats in stakes, Forever After All finally broke through for her first stakes win, running down Chop Chop to win the Grade 3, $150,000 La Prevoyante Stakes by a nose.
Chop Chop, who made lead in midstretch, held of La Mehana by a neck for second. It was another neck back to Whatlovelookslike in fourth. Beautiful Love, the 2-1 favorite, finished sixth in the 12-horse field.
It was only the third career from 22 starts for Forever After All and her first stakes in her 10th try. She has 10 runner-up finishes including a neck defeat in the Via Borghese here last month preceded by tough second-place finishes in the Grade 3 Red Carpet at Del Mar and Grade 3 Dowager at Keeneland.
“If ever there was one that deserved to win a graded stakes it was her because the last [race] she was unlucky and her start before that in California she was very unlucky,” said Brendan Walsh, who trains Forever After All for the Dixiana Farms of William and Donna Shively.
Forever After All benefited from a super ride from Tyler Gaffalione, who saved ground until the top of the stretch when he had to swing eight wide. Chop Chop, making her first start for trainer Todd Pletcher took over at the head of the lane under Irad Ortiz Jr., but Forever After All mowed her down at the wire.
“I looked at her at the quarter pole I said [Gaffalione’s] got a ton of horse, but you’re wondering if you’re going to get through,” Walsh said. “That’s why Tyler is Tyler, he got through and here we are.”
Forever After All, a 6-year-old daughter of Connect, covered the 1 1/2 miles in 2:26.06 and returned $13.60 to win while getting a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.
Forever After All is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Tom’s d’Etat making her valuable as a broodmare. Walsh said it’s 50-50 whether Forever After All continues racing.
“We’ll try and persuade them to keep her going for a little longer because I think she’s just starting to get good,” Walsh said.
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