Saintly Look shows form of old in Holiday Cheer

Showing some of the class that led him to victory in the Grade 3 Lecomte Handicap in 2003, Saintly Look unleashed a furious stretch rally to win Saturday's $50,000 Holiday Cheer Stakes at Turfway Park by 2 3/4 lengths.

Far off a contested opening pace of 22.45 seconds and 45.98 set by Yucatan and Private Horde, Saintly Look advanced into fourth by midstretch of the six-furlong race and powered past the opposition in the final furlong under Rafael Mojica Jr. Sgt. Bert ran second, a half-length in front of Private Horde in third. Fire Slam, the 8-5 favorite, ran seventh in the field of 11.

Saintly Look raced six furlongs over the Polytrack in 1:11.03, the fastest six-furlong time of the holiday meet, which ended Saturday. He paid $27.40.

The Holiday Cheer was Saintly Look's first stakes win since the Lecomte. He had won a $50,000 claiming race at Churchill Downs in his race preceding the Holiday Cheer.

A 5-year-old son of Saint Ballado, Saintly Look is trained by Jeff Talley and owned by Terry Raymond and Jana Wager.