Team behind River Boyne glad to get back in the win column

ARCADIA, Calif. – When River Boyne’s losing streak reached eight races after a third in the Cotton Fitzsimmons Handicap at Turf Paradise last month, a measure of doubt understandably crept into co-owner Tim Cohen’s mind.

A five-time winner in stakes for 3-year-olds in 2018, River Boyne’s best results in a seven-race campaign in 2019 were two second-place finishes – one coming in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile last June. It was a tough season of racing against older horses for River Boyne.

“Maybe he doesn’t have it anymore,” Cohen recalled thinking.

Those thoughts dissolved when the field reached the top of the stretch in Saturday’s Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita. River Boyne emerged between pacesetter Kingly and stalker Take the One O One to take the lead, drawing away to win by 2 1/2 lengths.

It was his widest margin of victory in his six stakes wins.

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“He’s had a lot of bad luck,” Cohen said. “I’m happy for him. He’s such a competitor and he deserves to win. I’m happy for the horse.

“He had a perfect trip and he showed what he is.”

Cohen races as Rancho Temescal and co-owns River Boyne with his parents, Jed and Roberta Cohen’s Red Baron’s Barn. River Boyne, a 5-year-old horse by the Mozart stallion Dandy Man, has won 8 of 23 starts and earned $971,918.

Trained by Jeff Mullins, River Boyne will be considered for the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf on March 7.

“That’s definitely an option,” Mullins said.

The Thunder Road result was welcome success for the Cohens and Mullins. Itsinthepost, an 8-year-old gelding who won eight graded stakes in the last three years, was retired after sustaining a sesamoid injury in late January.

Itsinthepost won 11 of 42 starts and earned $1,384,604. Itsinthepost is currently resting at Rancho Temescal in Piru, Calif., not far from Santa Anita. Tim Cohen said Itsinthepost may have a second career as a riding horse.

“He’s resting comfortably,” Cohen said. “He’s not a happy patient. It will be a year before he can start a second career.”