Winless for 20 months, Hamazing Destiny cruise past leaders to win the Maryland Sprint Handicap
Westrock Stables’ Hamazing Destiny finally won once for trainer D. Wayne Lukas and snapped a 12 race losing streak by winning the Grade 3,$100,000 Maryland Sprint Handicap at Pimlico Race Course on 19 May, 2012.
Thanks to the early leaders in the Maryland Sprint Handicap, who engaged in a duel that helped Hamazing Destiny to sweep past them and finally capture a victory after such a long time.
Bred in Kentucky by Destinaire Farm, Hamazing Destiny, a 6-year-old horse last time won a race was in 2010, when he downed an allowance race at about six and a half furlongs at Churchill Downs.
In his defence, Hamazing Destiny come close to winning several times after that win. Three seconds and a single third place finish is a proof of his good form.
In a field of seven, 3-year-old and up colts and geldings, Hamazing Destiny was a slight 5 to 2 favourite , as he stalked the leaders in the beginning, but when he was required to go all out, the son of Salt Lake spurted in front, and opened up a lead of three lengths.
Corey Nakatani rode Hamazing Destiny to a one and a half length victory over Rodney Jenkins trained, Bandbox.
Winless in the past 20 months, Hamazing Destiny raced in the middle of the track in the Maryland Sprint Handicap, as Immortal Eyes, who usually comes off the pace surprisingly jumped out and led the pack.
Immortal Eyes duelling with Diski Dance completed the first quarter mile in 23.02 seconds and half mile in 46.32 seconds in the six furlong sprint.
Coming into the stretch, Hamazing Destiny collared the leaders, and on top of the lane asserted his dominance and completed his trip in 1 minute and 10.48 seconds.
Out of Artax mare Ms Proud Destiny, Hamazing Destiny was exiting a seventh place finish in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes.
“He was the favourite and he ran like it,” Lukas said. “I thought Corey did a nice job. I was a bit worried when they threw up that :23 (seconds for the first quarter). I thought, ‘Well, they’re not going very fast, and we’re still in it.’ The horse liked the track.”
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