Scuba destined for Marathon Stakes after romping in Temperence
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Brendan Walsh has a knack with long-distance runners.
Two years ago, Walsh trained Cary Street, who won the then-Grade 2 Greenwood Cup at Parx Racing and later the Grade 2, $200,000 Las Vegas Marathon on the undercard of the Breeders’ Cup program at Santa Anita.
Walsh is back this year with Scuba, who won the Grade 3 Greenwood Cup at Parx and then did something Cary Street couldn’t do - win Sunday’s $200,000 Temperence Hill Stakes at Belmont Park.
Now, Walsh is hoping for a repeat in the $200,000 Marathon Stakes on the undercard of the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup program at Santa Anita.
“I think this horse might be a little better” than Cary Street, Walsh said.
Scuba, under Kendrick Carmouche, galloped to a three-length win in the Temperence Hill, taking a short lead entering the far turn and then galloping away from his six rivals from the quarter pole home. Melmich, the slight 2-1 favorite over Baccelo, rallied for second, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Extinct Charm.
Baccelo was fourth, followed by Old Time Hockey, Indycott, and Desvelo.
Scuba has two wins and four seconds from seven starts since Walsh got him earlier this year from owner David Ross. He suffered narrow losses in races at 1 1/8 miles or shorter, but entered this race off a five-length romp in the Greenwood Cup at 1 1/2 miles Sept. 5.
Scuba , a 5-year-old gelding by Tapit, is a natural galloper - something he displayed on Sunday. Under Carmouche, he just galloped along outside of the pace-setting Baccelo through fractions of 25.25 seconds, 52.45, 1:19.25, and a mile in 1:43.66. He grabbed a short lead from Baccelo at the half-mile pole and seized total control by the top of the stretch.
Scuba covered the 1 5/8 miles over a good main track in 2:44.73 and returned $8 to win.
“He ran huge, I’m delighted with him,” Walsh said. “I thought it was a tougher spot than the Parx race. He beat some nice horses; he seems to have found his niche.”
Walsh said Scuba would return to Kentucky on Tuesday and then eventually head to California for the Marathon Stakes.