Strike Power aces class test in Swale Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Strike Power validated his sensational career debut six weeks ago by stepping up in class and stretching out in distance to register an impressive 2 3/4-length victory over Gotta Go in Saturday’s $200,000 Swale at Gulfstream Park.

Strike Power, a Courtlandt Farms homebred by Speightstown, turned in an eye-catching performance in winning his first start by eight lengths while earning a 102 Beyer Speed Figure here on Dec. 23. That win came at 5 1/2 furlongs, so he still had some questions to answer when stretching out to seven-eighths and taking on a field that included three stakes winners in the Grade 3 Swale.

But Strike Power proved more than equal to the task. Quickly sprinting to command under Luis Saez, Strike Power set a realistic pace of 22.95 seconds and 45.45 for the opening half-mile while chased by Tricks to Doo, settled into the stretch with a clear advantage, then extended his lead despite remaining on his left lead to the wire.

Gotta Go, the winner of the Street Sense Stakes last fall at Churchill Downs, rallied mildly near the inside to finish second, a length in front of Diamond King.

Strike Power covered the distance in 1:22.68 over a fast track and paid $3.60.

“He fell out of there nicely,” said trainer Mark Hennig. “He’s just quick away from there, and I thought he had it kind of easy from there. I was concerned – it was a big jump, but there’s not a lot of options. You got to run what they give you or go out of town. But he was the kind of horse I felt his first race warranted jumping up in class.”

Hennig said he has plenty of options for Strike Power’s next start, including trying two turns.

“He seems to be a horse who’ll relax, and he’s quick enough,” said Hennig. “He’s a very simple horse to train. He’s still is green, he’s learning. Sometimes with a young horse, when they don’t switch leads, it means they just don’t need the energy. Sometimes they know if they need that next surge of energy. But I’ll certainly keep an eye on that moving forward.”