Flat Out finally enters the winning circle after an emphatic win in Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park
After finishing second best to Tizway and Havre de Grace in his last two Grade 1 starts, in his defense the country’s two top horses, Flat Out was determined to take down the Grade 1 $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park on 1 October, 2011, and he
did by 2 ½ lengths over Drosselmeyer.
The Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup is part of Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” series which gave Flat Out the automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on 5 November.
On a muddy track, the son of Flatter, out of Cresta Lil by Cresta Rider, the California bred Flat Out, assumed the fourth position early in the race, running side by side Birdrun.
Rodman took the lead early under jockey Rajiv Maragh, and in the mud colt set reasonable fractions of 24.17 seconds for the quarter, 48.56 seconds for the half mile pole and for six furlongs 1 minute and 12.66 seconds.
Jockey Alex Solis aboard Flat Out, shook him up midway as he started to look threatening, the Charles Dickey trained 5-year-old horse Flat Out launched his winning bid on the far turn and took down Birdrun first and then Rodman.
The highly favoured Stay Thirsty was dwelling in the mid pack, while Flat Out took the lead just before advancing towards the quarter pole and swung past the turn entering the home stretch with the lead.
Inching past Rodman with a one length advantage, Stay Thirsty with the bunch of others under strong drive looked to make it tough for Flat Out.
Entering the final furlong Flat Out kept everyone and bay including the fast approaching Drosselmeyer, who came back from behind taking down rivals to get into second position.
Flat Out hit the wire in 2 minutes and 3.17 seconds on a muddy track, with Drosselmeyer second and Stay Thirsty who was facing older horses for the first time turned in third.
Second win for Flat Out this season out of 6 starts, and his fifth win overall out of 12 lifetime starts, with earnings upped to $1,109,713 after the Jockey Club Gold Cup win.
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