Successful Dan wins the Alysheba Stakes in record time
The 8 to 5 favourite, Mucho Macho Man, was heading the Grade 2, $337,800 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs on 4 May, 2012, but he never counted on Charles Lopresti trained, Successful Dan, who along with the favourite wore down the leaders to have enough
legs in the end to notch the victory and 2 in 2 for the new season.
Morton Fink owned 6-year-old horse on the way set a new record going 1 1/16 miles over the Churchill Downs dirt course.
Bred in Kentucky by Morton Fink, Successful Dan under jockey Julien Leparoux was settled well off the pace, as the long shot, Plutonium, and the 2 to 1 choice Nates Mineshaft carved early fractions and went the opening quarter mile in 23.47 seconds and ran
down the half mile marker in 47.02 seconds, as Plutonium edged past Nates Mineshaft to retain the lead.
Fort Larned, who was stalking the two made his move to run down the long shot, and he successfully did when Plutonium weakened after leading for more than half a mile.
Ian R. Wilkes trained 4-year-old colt, Fort Larned made his move on the outside, and when he rounded off the bend into the stretch, he was leading the pack and downed the mile marker in 1 minute and 34.64 seconds.
The son of Successful Appeal, out of Wolf Power mare by Lisa Danielle, Successful Dan made his move, but with him Mucho Macho Man was alert to do the same, but Successful Dan had a slightly bigger engine than his adversary, and he used to its full potential
and downed the 1 1/16 miles distance in a record time of 1 minute and 41.04 seconds.
“This is one of the best horses I’ve ridden so far in my career,” said Leparoux, who has seven wins in eight starts on Successful Dan. “He’s a beautiful horse and he has a great kick. I got him in a good place early and he relaxed really nice. When I asked
him to run, he gave me a great run down the stretch.”
“I didn’t know if he could duplicate his race at Keeneland,” Lopresti said. “This field worried me, but this race shows me that he has come back as the horse he was. You always worry when they come back from an injury like this.”
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