Keep Up pulls a 30 to 1 shocker to win the River City Handicap
Alex Clarkson trained bay horse, Keep Up, has been enjoying an injury free 2012, and things got even better for him and his connections, as at 30 to 1 he pulled an absolute shocker to win the Grade 3, $115,700 River City Handicap over the multiple stakes winning, Boisterous, by half a length to prevail in the 1 1/8 mile turf test at Churchill Downs.
Having only won a maiden, and an allowance optional claimers, Keep Up was making his first start in stakes company of any sort, but he was too good for a field of 12, 3-year-old and above colts and geldings.
Though, trainer Alex Clarkson had qualms about running the son of Unbridled’s Song after an allowance optional claiming victory at Churchill Downs on 16 November over Noble’s Promise, but Keep Up gave positive signs that he wants to run, and a good decision was made by the horseman, who was rewarded by saddling his first graded stakes winner.
John and Alice Chandler's homebred, Keep Up re-started his racing career in April this year, at a point where he had successfully completed his 15 month rehab due to a bowed tendon which needed a stem cell therapy.
The 5-year-old relishes opportunities on turf, as he has a perfect record of 3 for 3 on the surface. In the River City Handicap, Miguel Mena was aboard Keep Up, who was settled in 10th in a field of 12, behind the early pace set by Global Power, who turned in the opening quarter mile in 23.81 seconds, and half mile in 47.26 seconds.
After he clocked 6 furlongs in 1 minute and 11.07 seconds, Keep Up was still 10th, but conjured up an eight-wide outside rally into the stretch, and had enough time to overhaul the 9 to 10 favourite, Boisterous, and he went on to cover the distance in 1 minute and 48.05 seconds.
"I didn't really have any trouble," jockey Jose Lezcano said of his runner-up finish on the favourite. "He broke good and I put him in a good spot. When I asked, he gave me his race. The other horse just ran past me and did it easy."
Tags: