|
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -- Take the Points won the battle, registering an apparent 1 1/2-length victory over Court Vision in Saturday's $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap. But he ultimately lost the war after being disqualified from first and was placed fifth for allegedly impeding Yate's Black Cat near the sixteenth pole in the Grade 1 event. Trainer Todd Pletcher said there is a possibility Take the Points' owner, the Starlight Partners, might appeal the decision. "We'll consider an appeal for a couple of reasons," said Pletcher. "First of all, if you look at the turf course you don't get a true head-on replay. I felt our horse was far enough clear at the time of the incident. The other horse obviously caught our heel but I felt the 1 horse [Le Grand Cru] hit our horse and turned us sideways, and there was no way what happened affected the outcome. There was no way the horse he was supposed to have bothered was ever going to beat him. It was a borderline call, and when you have a borderline call in a Grade 1 race you should leave it alone." Take the Points, already a two-time Grade 1 winner, raced under jockey Edgar Prado within easy striking distance of pacesetter Le Grand Cru. Take the Points eased out to engage the leaders entering the stretch, gained a short advantage leaving the furlong grounds, angled in while beginning to edge clear near the sixteenth pole, and won going away. Court Vision raced wide and rallied mildly to be second across the finish line, finishing a neck in front of the wide-running Never on Sunday. Yate's Black Cat was attempting to split the leaders with his bid nearing midstretch when he clipped heels, stumbled, and lose all chance. Court Vision, who is owned by a partnership that includes the IEAH Stables, Resolute Group Stables, and WinStar Farm was the 4-5 favorite in a field of six and paid $3.80. He was ridden by Robby Albarado. Final time for 1 1/8 miles was 1:46.84 over a firm course. "That's the first time I ever was placed first in a Grade 1 race," said Court Vision's trainer, Rick Dutrow Jr. "My horse needed the race, Robby said he got tired galloping out. Our horse ran good, Todd's horse ran good, and I'm happy we got the money." Tottie rallies to win Suwannee River Tottie, an English-bred filly who has made great strides in a short period of time since coming to the United States, became a graded stakes winner for the first time, rallying from just off the pace to a .three-quarter-length victory over Cable in the $125,000 Suwannee River Stakes. In My Glory, who set the pace to midstretch, finished another neck further back in third. Tottie is trained by Chad Brown for owner J. Y. Richmond-Watson. The Grade 3 Suwannee River was Tottie's second victory in four weeks. She captured her U.S. debut in an entry-level allowance here on Jan. 7. A daughter of Fantastic Light, Tottie was ridden to victory by Jose Lezcano and returned $5.60 as the favorite in a scratch-reduced field of nine fillies and mares. "She came to me in September on a recommendation from bloodstock agent James Delahooke," said Brown. "The owner said to take whatever time she needs. I was a little concerned that there wasn't much pace up front today. She has the one big run, but Jose made the decision to put her in the race earlier than she normally would be. and I think it was a decision that won the race for her."
|
