Durante's rapid rise continues with front-running Bold Ruler score
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Durante rebounded from a tough-luck second in allowance company two weeks ago to score a front-running 2 3/4-length victory in Friday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler Stakes at Aqueduct.
Breaking sharply from post 2 under Manny Franco, Durante made the front and set fast fractions of 21.92 seconds for the quarter and 44.87 for the half-mile, with Provocateur and Cowan attempting to press him from the outside
Durante, the 6-5 favorite, put those two away turning for home and was never seriously threatened in the stretch as he recorded his seventh career victory, first in a stakes.
High Oak, the 2-1 second choice rallied to get second by a head over Twisted Ride. Stage Left finished fourth and was followed by Cowan, Five Dreams, and Jeff Fa Fa. Pirate Rick was scratched.
Durante was purchased privately by David Jacobson in the summer after he won a starter allowance in California for trainer Keith Craigmyle.
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He won his first three starts for Jacobson, who partnered with JKX Racing, before he got beat a head by Cowan in a game effort over a sloppy track on Oct. 14.
One of the questions facing Durante was how he would fair off Lasix, the anti-bleeding medication he had been permitted to race on in 17 of his first 22 starts. The answer was an emphatic just fine.
Durante, a 4-year-old gelding by Distorted Humor, covered the six furlongs in 1:09.78 and returned $4.40 to win.
“A lot of these California horses enjoy the East Coast, there’s no getting around that,” Jacobson told the New York Racing Association publicity department. “I think it’s a combination of the weather and the track. They seem to do well here and it just feels good to have a nice horse in my barn again.
This was the third Bold Ruler victory in the last decade for Jacobson, who won it in 2014 with Salutos Amigos and in 2016 with Stallwalkin’ Dude. Jacobson was retired for three years (2019-21) due to health issues.
Jacobson indicated that Durante could be pointed to the Grade 3, $200,000 Fall Highweight Handicap on Nov. 24.
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