Calder Race Course
Trujillo uses Midas touch on 67-1 shot
Jim Lisa Presious Passion gives jockey Elvis Trujillo his third straight graded stakes win of the day.
MIAMI - Jockey Elvis Trujillo capped off a spectacular Saturday afternoon in a most unexpected fashion by guiding the 67-1 Presious Passion to a 1 1/4-length upset over 3-2 favorite Stream of Gold in the Grade 2, $200,000 W.L, McKnight Handicap at Calder.
The shocking result gave Trujillo his third straight graded stakes win on the card following victories aboard favorites Paradise Dancer in the Grade 3 Kenny Noe Jr. Handicap and Electrify in the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper Handicap.
Presious Passion, a 4-year-old Royal Anthem gelding, had won the Grade 3 Cliff Hanger Stakes earlier this fall at the Meadowlands but had never been the 1 1/2-mile distance of the McKnight. He finished seventh at odds of 30-1 making his local debut two weeks earlier in the Grade 3 Tropical Turf Handicap.
As he had in his two earlier stakes wins on the card, Trujillo placed his mount in perfect position, several lengths behind the pace of Kiss the Kid and the 99-1 Bob's Proud Moment. Presious Passion engaged Kiss the Kid for command nearing the eighth pole, gained a short advantage at midstretch, then edged clear.
Stream of Gold rallied through midstretch but lost ground to Presious Passion nearing the wire while outfinishing Kiss the Kid for second by a half-length. Dave, winner of the Grade 2 Red Smith Handicap in his previous start, rallied mildly to finish fourth.
Revved Up, the 120-pound highweight, had to steady between horses near the three-eighths pole and never recovered, finishing fifth to close out his 9-year-old campaign.
Presious Passion covered the distance in 2:26.13 over a turf course officially listed as "good" and paid $136.20. He also keyed a track record $1 superfecta payout of $76,843.60 and completed a $1 all stakes pick four that paid $10,878.80.
Mary Hartmann trains Presious Passion for owner Patricia Generazio.
"He's the nicest horse I've ever been around and this is the biggest race I've ever won," said Hartmann. "He had never been this distance before but I had no doubt he would go this far on firm ground and he's run against and beaten good horses before."