Just Might wires Colonel Power Stakes in upset
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
NEW ORLEANS – Just Might’s speed got him the lead, absolutely the place to be Saturday on the Fair Grounds grass course, and his heart got him an upset victory as he held off Chaos Theory to post a $42.60 neck upset in the $100,000 Colonel Power Stakes.
There was other pace in the Colonel Power but Just Might, breaking decently but not blasting out of the gate, worked his way over to the rail and the engine. He went a quarter-mile in a quick 22.01 seconds, flew around the turn to post a half-mile split in 44.71, and dug deep to keep Chaos Theory from pushing past through the final furlong. Chaos Theory got away alertly, tracked the pacesetter from second, looked like a sure winner at the three-sixteenths pole but couldn’t reel in the leader while racing over a fast-playing course that appeared to be favoring inside speed.
Just Might was timed in 1:02.15 for 5 1/2 furlongs. Fast Boat, who broke from post 1 and raced near the fence much of the trip, was up for third as the top three separated themselves from the rest of the field, Blind Ambition chugging along for fourth. Nicky Numbers and Early Mischief were scratched.
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Jockey Colby Hernandez said trainer Michelle Lovell had advised letting Just Might roll along if he broke well. “Don’t take anything away from him if he breaks on the lead and go from there. He dug in and gave me everything he had,” Hernandez said.
Lovell also was the co-breeder and is the co-owner of Just Might with Robert Griffon’s Griffon Farms. Four-year-old Just Might, a gelding, is by Justin Philip out of Dynamite Babe, by Dynameaux. Making his 13th career start Jan. 24, Just Might made the lead and won an off-turf, first-level allowance race by almost eighth lengths, earning a 99 Beyer Speed Figure, easily a career-best. Lovell said connections considered a second-level allowance race before opting to take a shot in the Colonel Power.
“You don’t get these opportunities all the time,” she said. “He was doing really well, so we took our chance.”
