Regally Ready kept Bated Breath at bay to win the Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine
The 4-year-old gelding, Regally Ready redeemed himself after a dismal performance in the Grade 3 Turf Monster Handicap, where he finished 10th, held off challenges from rivals to win an exciting renewal of the Grade 1, $506,535 Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine on 16 October, 2011.
It was a great rebound from the 10th place finish at Parx Racing on 5 September, 2011, for the Steven Asmussen trained gelding on a yielding turf, as he was sent off as the 9 to 1 favourite to win the race, marked his first grade 1 victory.
The 4-year-old son of More than Ready, earned a starting berth in the Grade 2 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, as the Nearctic Stakes being part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” challenge series.
Out of Kivi by King of Kings, Regally Ready has a perfect record at Churchill Downs, where the Breeders’ Cup is being held this season.
Regally Ready is 2 of 2 at Churchill Downs, winning an allowance race there over at a distance of five furlongs on 20 November, 2011, with the winning time of 57.97 seconds.
This year, Regally Ready topped the Churchill Downs field yet again, when he participated in the Grade 3 Twin Spires Turf Sprint over at 5 furlongs on 7 May, 2011, with the winning time of 56.57 seconds.
In the Nearctic Stakes, Bated Breath was considered the strong favourite to win the race, after his strong performance in England this summer where he landed a couple of second place efforts in group 1 races.
Bated Breath was coming off a second place finish, when he missed by a nose to winner Dream Ahead in the Group 1 Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock on 3 September, 2011.
Racing in the mid pack, Bated Breath emerged as a threatening challenger when he got on the outside launching his bid on the turn, Regally Ready with a 1 ½ length advantage over Gypsy Ring dug down deep went out all out in the final strides to held off the fast closing Bated Breath.
Regally Ready has now was 8 out of 16 lifetime starts, with the life time earnings of $670,684.
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