Rahystrada showed his class in the Kentucky Turf Cup at Kentucky Downs
Jockey Greta Kuntzweiler in the second year running won the Grade 3 $150,000 Kentucky Cup Turf at Kentucky Downs, this time aboard the 7-year-old gelding, Rahystrada, who shook his class in the 14th running of the race.
It was a clear cut challenge for trainer Byron Hughes because the son of Rahy had never run over a distance of 1 ½ miles.
However, the 3 ¾ length victory over his rivals and the pundits showing confidence in him and declaring him as the 4 to 5 choice, showed it was never going to be a problem.
It was a magnificent display of class and agility by Rahystrada, who took over at the top of the lane and romped through and through till he hit the wire.
Rahystrada bagged his third graded stakes win on 10 September, 2011, and he covered the distance of 1 ½ miles in 2 minutes and 32.40 seconds.
Bill Mott trained Harrods Creek made his first start since January, and started off with his pace setting duties in the beginning of the race. He towed the 10 horse field up till the one mile mark, setting fractions of 1 minute and 41.68 seconds.
With five furlongs left in the race, the occasion got struck by an accident involving David Carroll trained Formaggio, who was tracking the leaders near the rail suddenly fell down, throwing jockey Shaun Bridgmohan off his back, the jockey was on his feet
within seconds.
Rahystrada, on the other hand was always in striking position, and when the field of 10 turned for home, the seven-year-old experienced gelding out ran the front running Harrods Creek to assume the leader’s position.
Rahystrada, conjured up amazing pace right at the end, and romped past his rivals to give his connections the 1 ½ mile race by 3 ¾ lengths over the Brazilian bred Odds On, the second place finisher.
This year Rahystrada has had five starts, and out of those five he has gone on to win twice, his other win came in the Colonial Turf Cup at Colonial Downs on 18 June, 2011.
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