Gregorian Chant sings winning tune in Clocker's Corner

ARCADIA, Calif. - Closing from last in a field of eight, Gregorian Chant recorded an upset win in Sunday’s $74,700 Clocker’s Corner Stakes for turf sprinters at Santa Anita.

The six-furlong race was the shortest start in Gregorian Chant’s 13-race career and his first start since an 11th-place finish at 59-1 in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Del Mar on Nov. 27.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Gregorian Chant ($23) closed with a wide rally to finish 2 1/4 lengths in front of 2-1 favorite Strike Me Down. Phil D’Amato trains the first two finishers.

Strike Me Down finished a head in front of 5-1 Thanks Mr. Eidson, who was followed by Real News, Ghoul, Oiseau de Guerre, Strongconstitution, and Mr Vargas.

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Gregorian Chant was timed in 1:08.42 for his first stakes win. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 94, which equals his career-best.

Mr Vargas set an early pace of 21.76 seconds for the opening quarter-mile, and 44.65 for a half-mile before fading from contention in the final furlong.

Gregorian Chant won an allowance race at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 29. He followed with a third-place finish in the restricted Lure Stakes prior to the loss in the Hollywood Turf Cup. D’Amato said co-owner Nick Cosato of Slam Dunk Racing suggested the shorter Clocker’s Corner Stakes as an experiment.

“Remembering the turn of foot he had when we bought him, we thought it was worth a try,” D’Amato said.

The Clocker’s Corner Stakes was restricted to non-winners of a graded stakes since Jan. 1, 2020.

Gregorian Chant won his debut in a maiden race at seven furlongs on the all-weather surface at Dundalk Racecourse in Ireland in December 2018 and his American debut in an allowance race at 1 1/8 miles on turf here in May 2019.

A 5-year-old British-bred gelding by Gregorian, Gregorian Chant has won 4 of 13 starts and $165,013 for Slam Dunk Racing, Old Bones Racing Stable, and Michael Nentwig. D’Amato suggested Gregorian Chant could remain in turf sprints in coming months.