Hold Tight ($43.20) scores upset in Bosselman/Fonner
Hold Tight stormed to an 8 1/2-length upset win over Intrepid Heart in the $75,000 Bosselman Pump and Pantry/Gus Fonner Stakes on Saturday to account for the richest race of the meet at Fonner Park.
It was another 7 3/4 lengths back in third to Wrath.
The Bosselman/Fonner is a 1 1/16-mile race run around three turns. The track was listed as good for its 33rd running Saturday.
Hold Tight ($43.20) was content to stalk the pace as Wrath set fractions of 23.20 seconds for the opening quarter and 46.80 for the half-mile with favorite Its a Wrap in close pursuit. Hold Tight advanced along the rail, moved to the lead through six furlongs in 1:14.20, and increased his advantage to the wire. Intrepid Heart, the second choice and an imposing invader on paper, broke last of all and put in an extended run to attempt to catch the leader. Hold Tight covered the distance in 1:47.80.
“He ran huge,” winning trainer Stetson Mitchell said in a post-race interview broadcast by Fonner.
Adrian Ramos was aboard Hold Tight, who was making his second start off a layoff. He had run second in the local prep, the Dowd Mile, in his first start of the year April 9.
Last year, Hold Tight won the Arapahoe Park Derby. He races for Dale Baird.
“He needed a little time off after his 3-year-old season and Dale trusted us,” Mitchell said.
Hold Tight is a son of Candy Ride who has now won 5 of 17 starts and earned $147,382.
Fonner’s meet continues through May 21.