Hot Springs gets first graded win in Commonwealth Turf

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Hot Springs made a sudden athletic move in midstretch to suddenly find clear sailing en route to remaining perfect over the Churchill Downs turf course Saturday in the 15th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Commonwealth Turf.

Ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Hot Springs is now 4 for 4 on the Churchill turf after prevailing by 1 1/2 lengths over late-closing Zero Gravity. The winner paid $5.80 as second choice after finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.97 over a course rated yielding.

Amid unseasonable cold and under the Churchill lights, Hot Springs saved ground in the back of the field of seven 3-year-olds for most of the trip before angling out with a quick move at the eighth pole and streaking home.

“The track is pretty heavy and I didn’t want to put the horse too close,” said Santana. “I let him settle and when I turned for home, I waited for the hole and he went on.”

Hot Springs, a $750,000 yearling purchase, is trained by Steve Asmussen for the Woodford Racing partnership headed by Bill Farish.

“He’s now 4 for 4 here, but I thought this was his most impressive effort yet,” said Asmussen. “He looked good finishing up. We’ll come back here with him in the spring when there’ll be some real nice races for him.”

Hot Springs, now 4 for 7 overall, previously won a maiden and allowance race at the Churchill spring meet, then the ungraded Jefferson Cup at the September meet. This was his first graded win.

After Zero Gravity, a 15-1 shot who also closed from well back, it was another 1 1/2 lengths back to front-running Marzo in third. The 9-5 favorite, March to the Arch, had every chance before fading to fifth over a course that appeared laboring. In fact, the two other Saturday races scheduled for turf were transferred to the main track.

The $2 exacta (7-6) paid $55.60, the $1 trifecta (7-6-2) returned $217.10, and the 10-cent superfecta (7-6-2-1) was worth $85.60.