General Jim outduels Fort Bragg to wire in Pat Day Mile
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE?q=100)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The addition of blinkers has seemed to turn General Jim into a different horse, one who finishes his races better and one who, as demonstrated Saturday at Churchill Downs, can prevail in a fight.
General Jim, wearing blinkers for his second straight race, – albeit three months apart – outlasted Fort Bragg in a stretch-long battle to win the Grade 2, $500,000 Pat Day Mile by a neck. It was 3 1/2 lengths back to Gilmore in third.
Jockey Luis Saez suggested to trainer Shug McGaughey that General Jim would benefit from blinkers. McGaughey put them on the first time for the Grade 3 Swale, which General Jim won by one length on Feb. 4 at Gulfstream.
“He kind of hung a couple of times, he’d stay there and not go by,” Saez said. “We decided to try the blinkers and that was the key, now he’s a different horse. He has plenty of talent. I’m glad to be a part of it.”
General Jim hadn’t run since the Swale, owing to a fever that forced him to miss the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park, McGaughey said.
On Saturday, Saez had General Jim in midpack while Kangaroo Court and Damon’s Mound dueled through a quarter in 22.41 seconds and a half-mile in 45.00
Joel Rosario had Fort Bragg three wide, and he made the lead approaching the top of the lane. Saez was able to knife his way through the field and came outside of Fort Bragg turning for home. The two were shoulder to shoulder through the lane, with General Jim edging away late.
General Jim, a son of Into Mischief owned by the Courtlandt Farm of Don Adam, covered the mile in 1:34.43 (100 Beyer Speed Figure) and returned $12.04 as the second choice.
Saez “never thought he was giving it is all, he kept telling me there’s more there, even when he won there’s more there, so we decided to put blinkers on him and see what happened,” McGaughey said by phone from New York where he watched the race. “Well, he’s 2 for 2 with them. I think he’s a talented little horse. I think we can see better as we go along, but we sure are proud of him today.”
McGaughey said winning the Pat Day Mile was extra special for him, given all the success he had with jockey Pat Day, for whom the race is named. Those two were best known for their association with Easy Goer, the 1989 Kentucky Derby and Preakness runner-up who ended Sunday Silence’s Triple Crown bid with a victory in the Belmont Stakes.
“To win the Pat Day Mile for all Pat Day did for me early in my career really, really means a lot,” McGaughey said. “I’m really excited for Mr. Adam, he buys these things, he’s patient, he doesn’t complain.”
General Jim brought $850,000 as a yearling at the Keeneland September sale.
McGaughey said General Jim would ship to New York on Sunday and plans for his next race would be made after he evaluates how the horse comes out of this race.
Freezing Point, who was a forward factor early, was pulled up abruptly by jockey Corey Lanerie. He was taken by ambulance back to his barn and later euthanized due to a left front leg injury.
Freezing Point was the second horse on Saturday’s card to be euthanized. In Race 2, Chloe’s Dream was euthanized due to injury.
There have been seven equine fatalities at Churchill Downs since April 27.
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