Finale proves he is the best in the Grade 3 Summer Stakes at Woodbine on 17 September
The 2-year-old colt, Finale, under jockey John Velasquez, made sure his conditioner, Todd Pletcher, wins the Summer Stakes, second time in row, as the Scat Daddy colt punched his ticket to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, after winning the Grade
3 $259,666 Summer Stakes at Woodbine on 17 September, 2011.
The Grade 3 Summer Stakes is part of the “Win and You’re In” Breeders’ Cup series, and the race will commence in November at Churchill Downs' turf course.
With a workman-like score, Michael Tabor owned Finale pressed a slow pace on the outside under jockey John Velasquez, who has ridden the colt twice earlier.
Finale went off at 4 to 5 odds and took time getting into his strides, as John Velasquez positioned him on the outside in third.
The first duel of the race came early, as the 15 to 1 shot Excaper and Maritimer rallied tough, setting brisk fractions for the quarter mile pole in 23.85 seconds and through the half mile pole in 47.14 seconds.
Run over a distance of 1 mile, out of Twinkle by Lively One, Finale looked in contention when he swung round the bend to go far outside to challenge the leaders.
It was now between Excaper and Finale, but under consistent right handed urging from jockey John Velasquez, Finale was forced to hold off a gamely run by Excaper in the final stages.
Finale narrowly escaped the run and defeated Excaper by three quarters of a length, who was a clear second by 3 ¼ lengths over the third place finisher, Daddy Nose Best.
The 2-year-old Steven Asmussen trained bay colt, Daddy Nose Best made an emphatic run from the rear of the pack to go just clear past Maritimer by a nose to finish third.
Burn the Mortgage, Making Amends, Jomelo and Secret Consultant followed afterwards to complete the order of finish.
This maybe just the beginning for the Todd Pletcher trained Finale, who without a doubt looks like a keeper, and will develop as he grows older.
3 of 3 now in his last 3 starts, Finale turned in the 1 mile test in 1 minute and 35.51 seconds, with the earnings of $259,666, after getting his winner’s share of $153,345.
Tags: