Hymn Book’s 2012 campaign so far...
The 6-year-old gelded son of Arch, Hymn Book, is trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, and this term, the veteran trainer ambitiously campaigned Hymn Book throughout the season, but the older division runner didn’t yield positive results, expected by
his trainer.
Stuart S. Janney III’s Hymn Book deceived one and all in believing that the gelding is going to run everyone ragged in his division this year, with a flying start in his seasonal opener Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park on 11 February, where he went
on to defeat a seriously good field, including Mission Impazible and Redeemed.
However, as the season grew, Hymn Book turned in some lackluster performances, a mere vague memory of what turned up at Gulfstream Park, as he went on to finish fourth in his very next start at Oaklawn Park in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap.
Instead of improving, Hymn Book displayed another dismal performance in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special Stakes with a fifth place showing to winner, Alternation at Pimlico Race Course over 1 3/16 miles on 18 May.
Things got better at Belmont Park, and Shug McGaughey looked a little hopeful for Hymn Book’s return in form after a placed finish in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park, where he finished second last year in the same race.
But things got bad to worse, as Hymn Book finished fourth in the Grade 1 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga on 4 August, against a seriously good lineup in which, Fort Larned took the race, Ron the Greek finished second, and Flat Out in third.
His penultimate race of the season thus far was the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at 1 ¼ miles for the first time this season, and Kentucky bred gelding had a troubled trip and finished eighth on the day, showing no signs of getting back into form.
Shug McGaughey opted to drop Hymn Book in class and ran him in the $80,750 Frank “Pancho” Martin Stakes, and in the slop at Belmont Park posted his second victory of the season with a dominating 5 ¾ length victory.
With this victory, Hymn Book improved his overall record to 8 victories, 5 second place finishes and a long third place finish in 20 career starts, and shot his bankroll to $792,687.
In the Frank “Pancho” Martin Stakes, Hymn Book splashed home to victory in the 1 1/16 mile event under jockey Joel Rosario, who took over from John Velazquez, and together the dup overhauled the front runners easily to post a brilliant victory.
The winner of the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup, Rule finished third and Small Town Talk finished third, as Hymn Book covered the distance in 1 minute and 43.31 seconds.
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