Double Crown rallies to take Polynesian
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Double Crown benefited from a ground-saving trip and rallied from off a pokey pace to win Pimlico’s $100,000 Polynesian for 3-year-olds and upward at 1 1/16 miles on Sunday.
The Polynesian joined the $100,000 Sensible Lady Turf Dash for fillies and mares at five furlongs on turf and the $75,000 Challedon for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs on dirt on the Sunday program.
Ournationonparade made the early lead going into the first turn, and set a slow opening fraction of 25.93 seconds while pushed from the outside by Zabracadabra and a three-wide Un Ojo.
Those three horses forced the tempo after a half-mile in 49.59, but all five entrants were under urging after six furlongs in 1:13.59.
Gutsy Un Ojo, a one-eyed gelding that won the Grade 2 Rebel last year at 75-1 odds, might have been compromised by his wide trip, but he still surged to a short lead at the three-sixteenths pole.
Jockey Jeiron Barbosa kept Double Crown close to the pace while pocketed in behind Ournationonparade, however, and they took advantage when that rival drifted off the inside.
Racing nearest the rail, Double Crown sprinted for the wire, and they bested Un Ojo by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:45.09 over the good track. Favored Be Better was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third. Then came Zabracadabra and Ournationonparade completed the order of finish.
Double Crown returned $15.80 as the longest shot on the board.
Bred in Maryland by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman, and Rebecca Davis, Double Crown is a 6-year-old gelding by Bourbon Courage. A multiple stakes-winner at three for trainer Tom Amoss, Bourbon Crown was claimed by Lynn Cash’s Built Wright Stables out of a runner-up effort in a $40,000 claimer at Churchill on June 5, 2022.
Double Crown’s biggest moment for Cash came when he upset the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap last fall during the Belmont at Aqueduct meeting. Transferred to trainer Ray Ginter Jr. earlier this summer, Double Crown overcame a terrible start to win a high-level allowance at Laurel on Aug. 13. He then finished seventh in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic and fifth in the Red Band Stakes on Monmouth’s turf course on Sept. 4.
Double Crown has won 8 times from 39 starts for lifetime earnings of $738.520.
Challedon
Swill gamely ran down Al Loves Josie to capture the $75,000 Challedon.
Scratches reduced the Challedon to a three-horse field, and Al Loves Josie was intent on grabbing early command from rail-drawn favorite Borracho.
Meanwhile, Swill settled at the back after an opening quarter-mile in 23.31 seconds.
Al Loves Josie eventually cleared off to the rail entering the turn, but Swill wouldn't allow the pacesetter much breathing room. Sheldon Russell urged Swill into a pressing position, and they turned into the stretch just off Al Loves Josie's flank following a half-mile clocking of 46.24.
Al Loves Josie tried his hardest, but Swill had too much momentum. The 5-year-old gelding surged inside the sixtenth pole to prevail by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:13.37. Borracho finished last, 16 lengths behind the runner-up. He was reported to have bled by the stewards.
Swill returned $4.40 to win as the second choice in the betting. Pirate Rick and Onlygodcanjudgeme scratched with the former winning an allowance race at Pimlico on Saturday.
Swill, a son of Munnings bred in Kentucky by McCauley Farms and Nathan McCauley, sold for $65,000 as a weanling before being bought by Ten Strike Racing and Kueber Racing for $265,000 as a yearling.
Swill won two of seven starts for trainer Brad Cox before going to the sidelines for a whopping 660 days. He returned under trainer Brittany Russell's care and finished second in a second-level allowance at Laurel on June 17.
The following month, Swill reached the winner's circle after a 3 1/2-length victory in a second-level allowance at Colonial.
Swill has now earned $222,654 in his career. He is a half-brother to Grade 2-winning turf router Stitched from the female family of Grade 1 winners Mast Track and Jemayel.
*Sensible Lady
Overnight rains forced the Sensible Lady Turf Dash to the main track, and Whiskey and You posted the upset as the longest shot on the tote.
A 5-year-old mare by Maclean’s Music, Whiskey and Rye broke well under Xavier Perez, and pushed Spicy Marg through a solid opening quarter of 22.02 seconds.
Whiskey and Rye moved comfortably on the turn, passed Spicy Marg in upper stretch, then drew away despite drifting slightly toward the inside. She completed the distance in 58.72 and returned $20.80 to win.
Sassy Beast got up for second, four lengths behind the winner. Then came Spicy Marg and favored Self Isolation. Sweet Temperament, Alla Breve, All That Magic, Goin’ Good, Can’t Buy Love, Daring Do, Shoshanah and Angel Art scratched.
Bred in Kentucky by Alex Venneri Racing, Whiskey and Rye sold for $150,000 as a juvenile. Owned by Mens Grille Racing, she won 3 of 17 starts for trainer Hamilton Smith before being transferred to John Robb’s barn last summer.
All five of Whiskey and Rye’s lifetime victories have come on the dirt. She is the second stakes-winner produced by the Afternoon Deelites mare Ava G. Miss My Rose, a Magician filly, notched the Angels Flight Stakes at Santa Anita in 2019.
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