King's review: Several eye-opening performances

Friday, May 30, review

Showers and several eye-opening efforts

Although the track was fast as the horses entered the paddock for the first race, that condition didn’t even make it past the opener. The skies opened as the horses were on the way to the gate, and the short thunderstorm turned the track sloppy.

The 2-year-old Unbridled Reward didn’t mind the weather, rushing to the lead in her debut and drawing off under hand urging from Alan Garcia to win by 7 3/4 lengths over what seemed like a suspect field.

Her time for 4 1/2 furlongs of 52.40 seconds was difficult to evaluate, as the rain was coming down and the track had not yet been floated by the track maintenance crew.

Turning in perhaps an equally promising effort a couple races later was Cash Control, who led throughout under James Graham, who came in from Chicago for the mount. She got away with an uncontested lead but kicked away smartly in the stretch to turn back bids from Shanon Nicole and Tiz Windy – two other quality runners. Third in the Eight Belles Stakes earlier in the meet, she raced a mile in 1:36.70, receiving an 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

Suddenly off turf, opening pick four returns to all in last leg

Shortly after the first race, Churchill announced that the scheduled turf races that day would be moved to the main track. With betting already closed for the first pick four of the day, this meant that the last leg of the wager, the fourth race, which had been scheduled for turf, would pay to “all.”

When bettors place a wager with the expectation of it being on turf, it wouldn’t be fair to have a surface switch take place on them. It’s far better to get a smaller payoff than not collect at all because a wager was focused on a turf horse that couldn’t stand up in the mud.

Difficult day to judge times

Although the track was called “sloppy” throughout Friday’s card, it had different degrees of moisture in it during the day, making evaluations based on time more difficult than usual.

The track was gradually drying out from the first through the fifth races before another short but heavy storm hit before the sixth, turning the track into a soupy mess. Then the drying-out process began again.

Bridgmohan and Lanerie each bag three

Jockeys Shaun Bridgmohan and Corey Lanerie had rewarding days, winning three races apiece.

Bridgmohan’s winners came aboard Adios West in the sixth, Prosecution in the eighth, and Awesome Jill in the ninth. All three wins were on horses who led for much, if not all, of their races.

Lanerie’s scores came on Magical Moment in the second, Mrs McGowan in the fourth, and Moonlit Stroll in the last. His victories pushed him out of a first-place tie with Rosie Napravnik for leading rider.

Horse to watch

Sassy Kitten
Trainer: Mike Maker
Last race: May 30, 7th
Finish: 3rd by 3 1/2
Beyer: 66
Stayed in a short field that was moved from turf to a sloppy main track but lacked her usual acceleration over the footing; angled to the outside after being keen to begin, she stayed even-paced throughout in finishing behind Gal About Town, a much more established dirt horse. Expect improvement from Sassy Kitten on grass.