Collected, handled somewhat conservatively after a disappointing fourth in the GIII Southwest S. two back, proved much the best Saturday as he led home a one-two for California and provided his Hall of Fame conditioner with his first Lexington win. A debut graduate sprinting down the hill at Santa Anita Oct. 12, the chestnut completed the exacta in the grassy one-mile GIII Cecil B. DeMille S. at Del Mar Nov. 29 before annexing the GIII Sham S. going that trip on the main track back in Arcadia Jan. 9. Fourth behind Suddenbreakingnews (Mineshaft) as the 5-2 favorite in Oaklawn's Southwest Feb. 15, he had an easy time of it box to wire in the Mar. 20 $415,000 Sunland Park Festival of Racing S.
A narrow second choice behind the come-backing GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up Swipe (Birdstone), Collected broke well from his far outside draw to press fellow California invader and maiden One More Round. Hard held through splits of :23.57 and :47.47, he was asked for more leaving the home bend and took over without much resistance from the longshot to win as much the best. One More Round, who finished one spot ahead of 81-1 GI Wood Memorial S. runner-up Trojan Nation (Street Cry {Ire}) when second in a one-mile Santa Anita special weight Mar. 6, held off Synchrony to spice up the exacta.
“What an impressive horse,” said jockey Javier Castellano, whose last victory aboard a Baffert runner came in the 2012 GI Acorn S. with Contested (Ghostzapper). “I really liked the way he did it. He broke well out of the gate, and he wanted to dictate the pace today. I tried to sit a little bit behind the pacemaker. Turning for home, I really like the way he accelerated. When I asked, he really responded. I was really satisfied today.”
Peter Flour, partners in Speedway Stables with K.C. Weiner–who was back in Texas for his daughter's lacrosse game–said his charge would most likely bypass the GI Kentucky Derby in favor of the Mar. 21 GI Preakness S.
“I think that would be the most logical step, given the distance,” Fluor explained. “We'll see how he comes out [of this race], but that would be a thrill for us.”
Swipe ranged up into contention at one point before fading to sixth. His rider Flavien Prat offered, “It was a comfortable trip. I don't know, that's the first time I rode him but he was making noise on the backside and after that he wasn't the same horse.”
Saturday, Keeneland
LEXINGTON S.-GIII, $150,000, KEE, 4-16, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.33, ft.
1–COLLECTED, 120, c, 3, by City Zip
1st Dam: Helena Bay (GB), by Johannesburg
2nd Dam: Josette (Ire), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Loure, by Lyphard
($150,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP; $170,000 2yo '15 OBSMAR).
O-Speedway Stable LLC; B-Runnymede Farm Inc. & Peter J.
Callahan (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Javier Castellano. $90,000.
Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0, $433,700.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+.[bullet ad=”sgv-grad”][bullet ad=”farrell-recommended2yopurchase”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–One More Round, 118, c, 3, Discreet Cat–Leinster Lady, by E
Dubai. ($40,000 Wlg '13 KEENOV; $52,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP;
$95,000 2yo '15 OBSAPR). O-Roddy J. Valente and Charles
Casale; B-Mr. & Mrs. Michael Banahan, Mark Eslick & Tanya
Johnson (KY); T-A. C. Avila. $30,000.[bullet ad=”hillndale-consigned”]3–Synchrony, 118, c, 3, Tapit–Brownie Points, by Forest Wildcat. O-Pin Oak Stable; B-Pin Oak Stud, LLC (KY); T-Donnie K. Von Hemel. $15,000. [bullet ad=”holly-hill-training-center-shell”]Margins: 4, HF, 3/4. Odds: 2.20, 40.60, 8.20.
Also Ran: Direct Message, Yo Carm, Swipe, Lomcevak, Riker, Call the Colonel, Big Squeeze. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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