Unrivaled Time survives stewards' inquiry, takes Cecil B. DeMille Stakes
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DEL MAR, Calif. - Unrivaled Time went from a win in a maiden race for California-breds at Santa Anita in October to a victory in Sunday’s Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes for 2-year-olds at a mile on turf at Del Mar.
From winning jockey Diego Herrera’s perspective, the results are the prologue.
“I think the sky is the limit for him,” Herrera said.
Unrivaled Time ($13) won the $101,000 DeMille Stakes by three-quarters of a length over 10-1 Iriseach, but only after surviving an inquiry into the stretch run. The review focused on the actions in the final yards of Unrivaled Time and Hey Nay Nay, who finished third as the 1-2 favorite.
The two appeared to make contact, but the stewards did not change the order of finish, stating that Unrivaled Time moved out while Hey Nay Nay drifted to the inside. Iriseach caught Hey Nay Nay late to beat him by a neck for second.
Flavien Prat, who rode Hey Nay Nay, said his mount was much at fault as Unrivaled Time.
“I thought my horse caused his own trouble,” Prat said. “I had trouble keeping him on a straight path.”
Unrivaled Time was clocked in 1:36.42 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 77.
Herrera, who won his first graded stakes of the year on Sunday, had Unrivaled Time in fourth and then third in the first six furlongs, tracking Proton and then Track Tiger, who set fractions of 22.97 for the opening quarter-mile and 47.52 for a half-mile.
Proton led on the first turn and into the backstretch before Track Tiger briefly took the lead. Proton was back in front when the field approached the final turn.
Herrera said he was not worried about those runners as much as Hey Nay Nay, who won the Grade 3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf in September.
“The horse to beat was behind me,” he said. “I had to be patient.”
Proton faded to finish fourth, followed by Caro Buono, Brigante and Track Tiger.
Herrera has been aboard Unrivaled Time for each of the colt’s three starts, beginning with a troubled fifth-place finish in a maiden race at a mile for statebreds at Del Mar on Aug. 29.
“He has steadily showed signs of improvement every time I’ve worked him,” Herrera said.
Unrivaled Time, by Not This Time, races for Innergy Racing Corp., and Sonny Pais, who bred the colt. Unrivaled Time has earned $97,600.
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