Waralo at home on grass in Ashley T. Cole Stakes
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. - If Waralo takes to the new turf course at Belmont Park this fall like he has the soon-to-be-closed grass course at Aqueduct, he could have a few more productive years.
Waralo, a 7-year-old gelding, won for the fifth time from seven starts on turf - and fourth from six here at Aqueduct - scoring a front-running one-length victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Ashley T. Cole Stakes for New York-breds. Sacrosanct, who attempted to put pressure on Waralo early, couldn’t stay with him late and had to settle for second, a half-length in front of Bold Journey.
Waralo, a son of War Dancer, improved his overall record to 11-7-2 from 25 starts. He is 5-2-0 from seven races on the turf, a surface trainer Chris Englehart moved him to 13 months ago when he had stopped running well on dirt.
Waralo’s speed is his weapon, but it looked like there could be an ample supply of it in the Ashley T. Cole. Under Jose Lezcano, Waralo got to the lead soon after the start and had a half-length lead on Sacrosanct into the stretch before edging away.
“This is the kind of horse he breaks, he waits for the other horses to challenge him,” Lezcano said. “When I asked at the quarter [pole] he took off like he was breaking out of the gate. He does everything right, he loves the grass.”
A little bit of rain had fallen earlier in the day, and Lezcano felt that helped the turf. Though the fractions seemed quick, Lezcano said, “We went a very comfortable pace. The grass today I think is not that fast. The little water it got helped.”
Waralo, owned by My Purple Haze Stables, covered the six furlongs over firm ground in 1:07.57 and returned $6.46 as the favorite.
Englehart said Waralo has the trait of a fighter, which obviously came in handy on Saturday.
“He likes the grass, he likes going to the lead and he’ll fight when something comes to him,” Englehart told NYRA publicity.
Waralo has one win on turf at Saratoga and will likely make his next start there, possibly in the Grade 2, $300,000 Troy at Saratoga on Aug. 9.
“I guess at some point I’m going to have to try him in a graded stakes,” Englehart said. “I’m not sure yet, but it looks like that might be what I have to do.”
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