Kale's Angel blows by odds-on Innovator in handy Advent victory

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Kale’s Angel made his dirt debut a memorable one on Friday as he overtook 1-2 favorite Innovator in the stretch for a 5 3/4-length win in the $150,000 Advent at Oaklawn Park.

Innovator finished second in the opening-day feature. It was another four lengths back to Perfect Magic in third.

Kale’s Angel ($9.20), who had been racing exclusively on turf, stalked leader Innovator through fractions of 22.87 seconds for the opening quarter and 46.49 for the half-mile in the 5 1/2-furlong race for 2-year-olds. Kale’s Angel moved in on the leader nearing the quarter pole, overtook him in the stretch, and went on to cover the distance in 1:04.40.

Ramon Vazquez was aboard the winner for trainer Peter Miller.

Kale’s Angel is a son of Complexity who races for Tom Kagele and Ernest Marchosky. He has now won 2 of 5 starts for earnings of $139,750. Kale’s Angel had been racing in Southern California prior to the Advent.

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* Jockey Manny Esquivel was taken to a local hospital for pre-cautionary X-rays after being unseated at the start of the eighth race. He was alert and his vitals were normal, agent Jose Santos Jr. said shortly after the incident. He believes Esquivel escaped serious injuries.

* It was a sunny, pleasant afternoon for the opener, with temperatures maxing out at about 40 degrees. Racing resumes Saturday, but there will be no card Sunday during this weekend. The track moves to a Friday-to-Sunday schedule next week.

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