Fourstar Crook becomes third Hillsborough winner for Brown

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Three Grade 1 winners and a pair of Grade 2 winners were among the 10-horse field that went postward Saturday in the Grade 2, $200,000 Hillsborough at Tampa Bay Downs, making it perhaps the deepest renewal in the 20-year history of the 1 1/8-mile turf race.

In the final jumps, however, it was Fourstar Crook – a mere Grade 3 winner coming in – who emerged best. Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Fourstar Crook launched a torrid bid on the outer part of the turf course to be along just in time to give trainer Chad Brown his third Hillsborough winner.

Proctor’s Ledge, who had surged to command with a big stretch rally under Jose Ortiz, had to settle for second, with La Coronel third and Daddys Lil Darling fourth.

Fourstar Crook, owned by the partnership of Michael Dubb, Gary Aisquith, and Bethlehem Stables, returned $9.80 after finishing in 1:48.43 over a firm course. The 6-year-old New York-bred mare by Freud now has won 10 of 15 career starts after having competed mostly in statebred events.

“She ran terrific,” said Brown. “She’s a very consistent mare, always gives her best. We’re proud of her.”

Brown’s previous Hillsborough wins came with Zagora (2012), an eventual Eclipse winner, and Stephanie’s Kitten (2015), a two-time Breeders’ Cup winner.

An inquiry and objection into whether Proctor’s Ledge impeded Daddys Lil Darling in deep stretch was disallowed by the Tampa stewards.

The $2 exacta (3-10) paid $62.80, the $1 trifecta (3-10-9) returned $164.70, and the 10-cent superfecta (3-10-9-5) was worth $58.75.

Another Brown trainee, Off Limits, was defeated less than 1 1/2 lengths when finishing fifth as the 2-1 favorite and having a four-race win streak snapped.

“I though both horses ran well,” he said.

Several of these fillies and mares could run back in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley on April 7 at Keeneland.

War Story romps in Challenger

Having made a career out of competing at the highest levels, War Story was supposed to outclass his six rivals in the $100,000 Challenger – and he certainly did.

Ridden confidently from just off the pace by Jose Ortiz, War Story drew off to win the 1 1/16-mile Challenger by 5 3/4 lengths in 1:43.43, returning $3.80 as the heavy favorite. Jorge Navarro trains the 6-year-old Northern Afleet gelding for Imaginary Stables and Glenn K. Ellis.

Rafting gave futile chase when a clear second, with You’re to Blame out-nodding Big Dollar Bill for third.

War Story now has won 6 of 26 starts and earned nearly $2.3 million, although much of that total came from two far-back finishes in the 2017 and 2018 runnings of the Pegasus World Cup.

Odds-on Gidu wins Columbia

Getting an ideal stalking trip under John Velazquez, Gidu dominated the $75,000 Columbia, quickly drawing clear from 11 other 3-year-olds in winning the one-mile turf race by 1 3/4 lengths. He paid $3.20 as an odds-on favorite after finishing in 1:34.5.

A gray Irish-bred colt by Frankel, Gidu now has 2 wins and 2 seconds from 4 starts for Zayat Stables and trainer Todd Pletcher. He was coming off a near-miss runner-up finish behind Speed Franco in the Grade 3 Dania Beach on the Gulfstream Park turf last month.

Captivating Moon rallied belatedly for second, with Smart Remark third and One Fast Ride fourth.