Goliad leads the way in Thunder Road Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - A few minutes after Goliad won Saturday’s Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at Santa Anita by leading throughout, the 5-year-old gelding still had energy to spare as he was guided back to the winner’s circle by jockey Kazushi Kimura.

“Coming back, he was really strong,” Kimura said.

All the enthusiasm led to Goliad’s first stakes win in the $101,000 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf. Goliad led by four lengths on the first turn, by nine lengths on the backstretch, and had a 12-length advantage on the final turn.

While the lead was reduced through the final quarter-mile, the outcome was decided: Goliad won by three lengths over 5-2 Dandy Man Shines. Kimura peeked at the massive infield television screen in the final furlong to check his status and found the trailing runners too far behind to pose a threat.

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“When I looked at the screen, I was surprised,” Kimura said. “He’s a high-cruising (speed) horse.”

Goliad ($12.80) was timed in 1:33.57, the fastest clocking at the distance since the current meeting began on Dec. 26. Goliad earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

Goliad set early fractions of 23.36 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.07 for a half-mile.

Ah Jeez (19-1) finished third, followed by Tio Magico, Balnikhov, Great King and Time to Party.

Tio Magico was the 8-5 favorite on the basis of a third-place finish in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Dec. 26. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Tio Magico was fifth on the backstretch, trailing by 11 1/2 lengths. He finished 6 3/4 lengths behind Goliad.

“The way the turf is playing everything has been on the lead and not looking back,” D’Amato said.

Earlier on the program, the D’Amato-trained Bellabel led throughout the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes at a mile on turf. Turf sprints in the first two races were won by runners who led throughout.

Goliad, a 7-year-old gelding by War Front, races for Ramona and Perry Bass and trainer Richard Mandella.

Goliad is unbeaten in two starts this year, having won an allowance race at a mile on turf on Jan. 7. A winner of 4 of 16 starts, Goliad led by only five lengths midway through that race and held on to win by a half-length over Great King.

Goliad has earned $262,371.

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