Rapid Redux ties with Peppers Pride and Zenyatta after winning 19 races on the trot
The David Wells trained 5-year-old horse, Rapid Redux has finally did it, the experienced runner has gone on to tie the North American record for most consecutive wins when he bagged the seven furlong dash at Laurel Park in a starter allowance on 27 October,
2011.
Win number 19 on the trot, and Rapid Redux has tied the record with Peppers Pride and Zenyatta, who also won 19 straight races during their careers.
It was a hard track to run on, the Laurel Park’s dirt course was a muddy one, but the chestnut gelding was determined to go all out in the race, as if he knew that he was going for a record tying win.
Undefeated since 2 December, 2010, Rapid Redux went up against four contestants and dashed from the gate to cover the sever furlong distance in 1 minute and 24.07 seconds and notched his 19th straight win by 2 ¾ lengths under jockey J. D. Acosta.
Rapid Redux was cut down to distance, as he consistently ran over the distance ranging from a mile to 1 1/8 miles and he last experienced the one turn race earlier this year on 3 March, 2011, 12 races ago.
The son of Pleasantly Perfect, out of Thiscatsforcaryl by Storm Cat, Rapid Redux was up against Rich Hero, and the presence of these two on the track made it a two horse race.
Rapid Redux trying the seven furlong distance after a while adapted the front running approach, as he broke sharply from the gate and jumped into the lead right from the get go.
Rich Hero on the other hand parted himself from the other two and tracked Rapid Redux closely, and went through the early fractions of 23.31 seconds for the quarter mile and covering the half mile distance in 46.25 seconds.
All of a sudden Rich Hero came too close for comfort at about the turn and edged closer with a length adrift.
Swinging by the turn Acosta felt the urgency and opened up his lead to two lengths at eighth pole, but it wasn’t going to be easy as Rich Hero had a lot in him to test Rapid Redux.
Deep into the stretch, Rapid Redux dug in gamely when he was challenged by Rich Hero in the final furlong, but kept his head and hit the wire to complete his massive year long mission.
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