Thin White Duke takes Lucky Coin Stakes with perfectly timed ride
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – John Velazquez thought he waited too long to move on Thin White Duke in Friday’s $150,000 Lucky Coin Stakes. But, as usual, Velazquez’s timing turned out to be impeccable.
Thin White Duke came with a furious late run under Velazquez to nail Dancing Buck at the wire and win the Lucky Coin Stakes by a nose at Saratoga.
It was three-quarters of a length back to Fauci in third. Voodoo Zip, Proven Strategies, The Critical Way, and Big Package completed the order of finish.
Velazquez, who on Aug. 25 recorded his 1000th career Saratoga victory, thought Voodoo Zip, under Joel Rosario, was the one to beat. Problem was, Voodoo Zip was behind Thin White Duke for most of the trip, while there were three horses in front of him in the stretch.
At the three-sixteenths pole – with Voodoo Zip attempting an inside rally – Velazquez sent a four-wide Thin White Duke after Dancing Buck, The Critical Way, and Proven Strategies. Dancing Buck had spurted clear of those two, but Thin White Duke reeled him in late.
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Velazquez said he told trainer David Donk after the race “I was a little patient waiting for Joel and he never showed up and the other ones opened up and I said ‘I hope I didn’t screw this one up.’ I got there, but it was hard to get there.”
Said Donk: “I’ve only been around two riders who ever criticized themselves when they won – Johnny and Ramon [Dominguez]. We’ll take those [rides] all the time.”
Thin White Duke, a son of Dominus, covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.43 and returned $10.40 as the fourth choice in the field of seven.
Thin White Duke was a two-time stakes winner on dirt as a 2-year-old. Phil Gleaves, who trained the horse then, retired at the end of the Saratoga meet last September and turned the horse over to Donk. Thin White Duke only raced three times last year due to physical issues, but has now gone 2 for 8 this year with a good third-place finish to Golden Pal in the Grade 3 Troy last month with career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure.
“If he came close to that, he was going to be pretty tough today,” Donk said. “He’s really improved, he certainly appreciates sprinting. Johnny gave him a great ride.”
When he ran in the Troy, Thin White Duke did so one week after he finished second in a first-level allowance. Donk and Gleaves – who is part-owner of Thin White Duke along with former Daily Racing Form publisher Steven Crist, Ken deRegt, and Bryan Hilliard – didn’t discount running back in the $1 million Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 10.
“Phil and I come from old school,” said Donk, who along with Gleaves both worked for the legendary trainer Woody Stephens. “We don’t run enough. They’re grass horses, if they’re happy and doing well and he buries [himself] in the feed tub here, lead him over there.”
Gleaves credited Donk with the job he’s done with Thin White Duke since he’s had him.
“We had a rough go with him as a 3-year-old last year, had some physical problems, we took him to the farm gave him time off, I retired,” Gleaves said. “Dave has since had him, and he’s just thrived under Dave’s care. I can’t overstate the job Dave has done with the horse and our other horses.”