Unbridled Command 5 in 5 after a commanding victory in the Hollywood Derby
The final race of the 2012 Turf Festival at Betfair Hollywood Park went to Lakland Farm's 3-year-old colt, Unbridled Command, who was racing outside of New York for the first time, and in his first grade 1 race, but unfazed by the difficult circumstances, he stepped up and finished on top of the pile in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby on 25 November, 2012.
Trained by Thomas M. Bush, Unbridled Command had to overpower some real grade 1 company contenders. The full field of 14 runners, and 1 ¼ miles to cover, Unbridled Command by Master Command turned the race on its head in the final furlongs, as the 7 to 1 choice posted a 1 ½ length upset.
The final time for the 10 furlongs was 2 minutes and 1.07 seconds, and the mild favourite at 7 to 2, the Ireland bred Grandeur, finished second by edging past Lucky Chappy by a head.
Under jockey Javier Castellano, the duo salvaged a great result in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby, especially after Javier Castellano’s early ride, the favoured Dayatthespa, tried to jump the fence in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes earlier on the same card.
"I had a beautiful trip this time and everything worked out perfect," said Castellano after his first try aboard Unbridled Command. "I saw the horses start backing out and I chose to go around and it worked out perfect. I knew the closers would show up down the lane, but I was able to get the jump on them."
Bred in New York, Unbridled Command posted his fifth straight victory in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby. The colts unbeaten run started with an allowance victory at Belmont Park on 23 June, followed by another allowance optional claimer victory at Saratoga in August.
Unbridled Command stayed at Saratoga, and right after a month recorded his hat-trick by winning his first graded stakes race, the Grade 3 Saranac Stakes in September. Back at Belmont Park in October, the colt was buzzing with energy as he went on to win the McMahon of Saratoga Mohawk Stakes.
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