Pixelate a game winner in Central Park Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Michael Stidham and Godolphin Racing have a lot to look forward to in 2020.

On Friday, Stidham and Godolphin won their second turf stakes for 2-year-olds in a week as Pixelate held off Homeland by a head to win the $100,000 Central Park Stakes over yielding ground at Aqueduct. The win came five days after Alms, owned by Godolphin and trained by Stidham, won the $100,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes for 2-year-old turf fillies at Del Mar. Godolphin also won Thursday’s off-the-turf Tepin Stakes at Aqueduct with Antoinette, trained by Bill Mott.

Pixelate, a son of City Zip, crossed the wire first under Jose Lezcano then had to withstand an objection from Junior Alvarado, the rider of Homeland, before the win was made official. While Pixelate and Homeland did bump in midstretch, Pixelate was coming out while Homeland was coming in at the same time.

Pixelate made amends from his neck loss at 35-1 in the Awad Stakes at Belmont on Oct. 26. In that race, Pixelate was last through the early stages under Lezcano. Friday, Lezcano had Pixelate within two lengths of the pace while racing three wide behind Ashraq and Mr. Kringle, who sparred on the lead through a half-mile in 50.30 seconds.

Pixelate made a three-wide bid turning into the lane, setting sail for Mr. Kringle, who had put away Ashraq.

Pixelate was lugging in before Lezcano was able to straighten him out. At that time, he came out a path as Homeland, who was rallying widest of all, came in a path causing the two to bump. Pixelate was able to hold Homeland, the 2-1 favorite, at bay through the lane.

Alvarado claimed foul but the stewards dismissed it.

“He came in a little bit. I come out a little, but my horse was running away from [Mr. Kringle] and when he changed leads we touched together, but it was 50-50,” Lezcano said.

Alvarado, after watching the replay, also acknowledged that both horses were at equal fault for the bump.

“I know I was coming in, but by the time I stopped he come out and bumped me, but it was a 50-50 shot,” Alvarado said. “When you’re riding and going as fast as we go, it’s hard to know how much is from my side or from his side.”

Pixelate, a son of City Zip, covered the 1 1/16 miles over yielding turf in 1:45.18 and returned $7 as the second choice.

Homeland was second by a length over Mr. Kringle, who was followed by City Man, Mo Ready, Ashraq, and Old Chestnut.

Stidham, who watched the race on television from Fair Grounds in Louisiana, was happy to see Pixelate closer to the pace Friday than he was in the Awad.

“Last time, when he almost got up, we got shuffled back, we didn’t plan on being that far back,” Stidham said. “Today the pace was a little bit slower on the yielding turf, he was in better position and was very game to fight off that horse and keep his head in front. I was really impressed with the way he dug in.”

Stidham said Pixelate would join Alms and the rest of his stable at Fair Grounds in the coming days. Stidham said he would likely point Pixelate to the $200,000 Texas Turf Mile for 3-year-olds at Sam Houston on Jan. 26.