Scratched from Kentucky Derby, Ethereal Road takes it out on Sir Barton opponents
BALTIMORE - Two weeks ago, Ethereal Road was a bit player in a drama that led to Rich Strike's upset victory in the Kentucky Derby. If not for Ethereal Road’s 11th-hour scratch, Rich Strike wouldn't have taken center stage.
Saturday at Pimlico, Ethereal Road was the leading man as he rallied from off the pace to win the $100,000 Sir Barton at 1 1/16 miles. The Sir Barton is for 3-year-olds who had never won a stakes race.
Trained by Hall of Famer Wayne Lukas, Ethereal Road saved ground near the back of the eight-horse field after breaking from the inside post position. Meanwhile 34-1 shot Good Skate set fractions of 23.70 and 47.26 seconds for the opening half-mile and shook clear by three lengths.
Luis Saez angled Ethereal Road off the inside on the second turn and they commenced a four-wide bid turning into the stretch.
Ethereal Road inhaled the leaders and won by 4 3/4 lengths over B Dawk, completing the distance in 1:43.20.
"That's what we expected," Lukas told track publicity. "We probably should have left him in the Derby, but that's hindsight. We can definitely build off this."
Lukas had previously mentioned that Ethereal Road, owned by Aaron Sones, was using the Sir Barton as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 11.
Mr Jefferson was another 2 1/4 lengths back in third. Ruggs, Good Skate, Unikee, Goldenize and Writeitontheice completed the order of finish. The Addison Pour and Brooklyn Diamonds scratched.
Ethereal Road, a son of Quality Road, bred in Kentucky by the late Paul Pompa Jr., won a maiden special weight at Oaklawn in his fourth start on Jan. 29. He then put himself squarely in the Kentucky Derby points picture with a runner-up effort in the Grade 2 Rebel at Oaklawn on Feb. 26.
Ethereal Road then finished seventh in the Blue Grass at Keeneland on April 9 before running fourth in the Grade 3 Lexington there one week later. He has won twice from eight starts with career earnings of $354,545.
B Dawk, stretching out around two turns for the first time after winning a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Keeneland on April 24, gave a game try for second.
"He put himself in a great spot," said his rider, Tyler Gaffalione. "He settled nicely but is still immature. He was looking at everything, but I love the way he finished up and ran through the wire. He has a bright future."
Mr Jefferson, second in the Federico Tesio at Laurel on April 16, rallied from seventh place after six furlongs. Trainer Michael Trombetta, who was concerned about the speed-friendly nature of the Pimlico main track, said he asked jockey Jaime Rodriguez to keep Mr Jefferson close to the front if he could.
"He did the best he could with it and punched in and got a check,” Trombetta said. “We're happy."
Unikee, the 2-1 second choice, finished sixth. Before the race, he knocked over his hotwalker, Dawn Serey, in the paddock. Track security and paramedics cleared the paddock of horses and owners and allowed the fallen Serey to be attended to.
"I was bathing him with a little ice water," trainer Terri Pompay said. "Dawn was standing directly in front of him and he lunged out of the stall. When he lunged out, he hit her and bowled her over. It looked like she had the wind really knocked out of her."
Pompay added that Serey's eyes were open and that she was moving her extremities. She was taken to a local medical facility.