Wynn Time by a neck in Bonapaw Stakes

Trainer Hugh Robertson has no real designs on making Wynn Time into a grass horse. He ran Wynn Time on turf Saturday at Fair Grounds in the $75,000 Bonapaw Stakes because no local dirt sprint was available, and rather than continue working Wynn Time weekly for 2019 dirt starts, why not give him a chance on grass?

You don’t get paid for workouts, but Wynn Time’s connections got paid for the Bonapaw when he ran down loose leader Latent Revenge to win by a neck. Wynn Time tracked the pacesetter’s half-mile split of 45.25 seconds, pounced on him an eighth of a mile out, and pushed past just before the wire. He ran about 5 1/2 furlongs over “good” ground in a fine 1:02.54 and paid $6.80 to win, a generous price on a horse who clearly was best in the race if his dirt form transferred.

“This horse has a lot of try in him,” said Robertson, who trains Wynn Time for owner-breeder John Mentz. “I don’t think he was quite as good on the grass as he is on dirt, actually. I think he just outclassed them.”

Sounds reasonable. Wynn Time, rested until November after holding his own with the best dirt sprinters at Oaklawn Park last spring, won the Thanksgiving Handicap by one length in his comeback start last month. Saturday’s score runs his career mark to 10-7-2-1, and Wynn Time now has won on dirt, Polytrack, and turf.

“He proved today he can run on anything,” said winning rider Marcelino Pedroza.

Wynn Time is an Illinois-bred by the relatively obscure stallion Three Hour Nap, whom Robertson trained to win the 2004 Arlington-Washington Futurity, and out of the Five Star Day mare Five Star Swank.

Wynn Time is likely to make his next start in the $75,000 Duncan Kenner Stakes, a dirt sprint Jan. 19 at Fair Grounds, before heading back into major stakes competition later this winter.

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