Turfway Park: Harry's Holiday rolls in 96Rock Stakes

A change in scenery, a change in surface, and a change in equipment all added up to a change in finish from Harry’s Holiday Saturday – with the colt proving a runaway winner of the $56,766 96Rock Stakes for 3-year-olds at Turfway Park.

Showing more speed than he had when fifth in the Pasco Stakes Jan. 4 on dirt at Tampa, Harry’s Holiday, adding blinkers, was a part of the pace soon after the start. He dueled with Bisque through fractions of 23.01 seconds and 45.51 in the 6 1/2-furlong 96Rock. After a half-mile the leading pair were joined by Forfeit and Artemus Coalmine, and it looked like anyone’s race. But Harry’s Holiday responded when asked in the stretch, drawing away to an eight-length victory.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

In his first attempt racing on Polytrack after four prior starts on dirt, Harry's Holiday raced 6 1/2 furlongs in a quick 1:16.72. A son of Harlan's Holiday, he paid $7.40.

Owned by a partnership headed by Terry Raymond and Skychai Racing, Harry’s Holiday was trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Rodney Prescott.

Maker’s other entrant, favored Artemus Coalmine, rallied from midpack to get up by a nose for the place, edging third-place Bisque.

The 96Rock was the first of two preps for 3-year-olds this year at Turfway that lead to the track’s signature race, the Grade 3 Spiral March 22. The next prep is around two turns at 1 1/16 miles in the March 1 John Battaglia Memorial.