Thirsty Always' strong closing kick gives him Everett Nevin triumph
Thirsty Always ($14.40), a stablemate of favored Mr. T's Thirsty, blew rivals away in the stretch with an impressive closing kick in the $76,800 Everett Nevin Stakes at Pleasanton on Saturday.
Thirsty Always had a nice stalking spot behind his stablemate and Stanford Bay, who went head-and-head through 21.55 and 45.56 opening fractions in the 5 1/2-furlong sprint for 2-year-olds.
Thirsty Always sat fourth, 1 1/2 lengths behind the dueling leaders, through the opening quarter, but was right with them as they turned for home.
Thirsty Always raced wide under Cesar Ortega, but was in the clear as the field straightened for home and burst past his rivals quickly, extending his margin through the stretch, beating Drinking Again, who is also sired by Stay Thirsty, by 4 3/4 lengths. Hijo Galante, last by 12 1/2 lengths at the first call, finished well to be third beaten a half-length by his Ed Moger Jr.-trained stablemate Drinking Again.
“I told (Ortega), that he won't be in front, but that was all right,” winning trainer Walther Solis said. “It seemed all the jocks were trying to get to the middle of the track because the inside seemed a bit heavy.”
Thirsty Always, a $70,000 yearling purchase by Tom Beckerle, Saul Carillo, and Terry C. Lovingier, won his debut at Santa Anita dueling on the lead before winning by a neck. He earned $45,000 for his first stakes victory and now has career earnings of $81,600.
Thirsty Always has breeding similar to California Chrome's, and Solis says he's always believed the Stay Thirsty colt, out of the graded stakes-winning Not For Love dam Angela's Love, will be best when going two turns.