Turf Paradise: All Saint sets course record winning turf marathon

All Saint pretty much put a bow around his horse of the meet title as the 5-year-old gelding not only dominated Saturday’s $25,000 Wildcat Handicap on the grass at Turf Paradise, but set a course record in the process.

Owned by Pascual Gamez and trained by William Whitehouse, All Saint notched his fourth straight win of the meet, all stakes. He won on fast dirt, on turf twice, and in the slop, and in the 1 3/8-mile Wildcat, All Saint was pushing the outside of the envelope as he tried this long distance for the first time.

It didn’t faze him in the least. As usual, his speed dominated – he bounced right out to a clear lead, was as far ahead a nine lengths in midstretch before winning by 4 1/4 lengths under Michael Iammarino. His time of 2:14.38 broke the old mark of 2:14.52 set by Mighty Bodacious in this race in 2008.

Fox in the House rallied from last in the field of six older males to finish second with I Am Awesome third. All Saint, the 8-5 favorite, paid $5.40. The winner’s share of $16,000 pushes his career bankroll to $237,176 from 7 wins in 24 starts.

*Whiskey Row was one of just two starters in the $26,009 Arizona Stallion Stakes with turf experience and turf success, and it showed as the heavy favorite had no trouble taking the 7 1/2-grass stakes.

Owned by John Pendergast and Joe Johnson and trained by Johnson, Whiskey Row stalked the pace while inside, got shuffled back a bit on the turn as he waited for room, found a seam, moved through willingly under jockey Juan Rivera, and drew away to comfortably win the race for 3-year-olds by 2 1/2 lengths. Gotta Skedaddle set the pace and finished second, just in front of Mighty Buck, the other horse proven on turf, in the field of six.

Whiskey Row ran the distance in 1:31.31 and as the 6-5 favorite paid $4.40. The winner’s share of $14,449 gives him a career record of $24,871 from2 wins in 8 starts.