Daaher Colt Benefits from Breakneck Pace in Gotham

Haikal | Sarah Andrew

Shadwell Stable homebred Haikal (Daaher) did not look like a winner most of the way in Saturday's GIII Gotham S., but he came alive with a powerful punch in the final strides of the Aqueduct feature to pull off a mild upset and earn points towards the GI Kentucky Derby. Unhurried early, the bay ran in second last, well back off the overeager Bob Baffert runner Much Better (Pioneerof the Nile), who zipped through an opening quarter in :22.36 with GISW Knicks Go (Paynter) glued to his inside hip. The pacesetter shook free of that rival as he put up a half in a swift :44.42 with Haikal's position remaining unchanged.

Much Better was confronted to his inside by Jerome S. winner Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) in the stretch with heavily favored 'TDN Rising Star' Instagrand (Into Mischief) ranging up on his outside and Haikal moving into fourth. It looked like Mind Control was going best of those three and would get the job done, but Haikal was just winding up out in the five path and powered past that trip in the final strides for a surprising victory. Mind Control held second over the previously undefeated California raider Instagrand, who was making his first start since August.

Missing by a neck behind the re-opposing Family Biz (Fed Biz) on debut here Nov. 10, Haikal graduated by that same margin in a six-panel event over this strip Dec. 15 and scored a neck success in the local Jimmy Winkfield S. last time Feb. 9.

“Kiaran [McLaughlin] had spoken to Rajiv [Maragh] and that was actually the plan: let him settle early, and then make that run,” said assistant trainer Joe Lee. “Rajiv rode him perfectly. When I saw him closing I was just hoping he'd get there. I knew he was going to come, it was just a matter of if he was going to get there in time. Even at the eighth-pole, sixteenth-pole, I knew from the way he ran last time that he was still going to fight it out. Rajiv said he didn't get tired the last time he ran, so I thought with a nice trip, he'd make a run but that was great.”

“I felt like he was full of run, and I felt like we kind of had them measured,” Maragh said. “I just hoped he'd continue his run and not ease up, and he continued running, so it worked out good. It wasn't that close at the end.”

As for the beaten favorite, jockey Javier Castellano said, “I was fine with how he did it today. I'm not disappointed at all. He was off a long time and to bring him back at a mile, he only got beat a length. I like the way he rated behind horses. He doesn't have to be on the lead now. We can play both games. He can be right behind the horses. It's true progress for his third race. I'm very satisfied. I got beat, but I'm satisfied with the way he did it today.”

Pedigree Notes:

Haikal is just the second graded stakes winner for his sire Daaher, who was also campaigned by McLaughlin and Shadwell Stable. His dam Sablah's first foal was the ill-fated 'TDN Rising Star' Takaful (Bernardini), who won the 2017 GI Vosburgh S. The 10-year-old mare's recent produce includes the juvenile filly Ishfaaq (Hard Spun) and a yearling filly by Bernardini. She was bred back to Tapit last term. Sablah is a daughter of Distorted Humor, who is also the broodmare sire of top runners such as champion Arrogate (Unbridled's Song) and MGISWs Elate (Medaglia d'Oro), New Money Honey (Medaglia d'Oro) and Constitution (Tapit). The winner hails from the family of English champion Shadayid.

Saturday, Aqueduct
GOTHAM S.-GIII, $300,900, Aqueduct, 3-9, 3yo, 1m, 1:35.63, ft.
1–HAIKAL, 120, c, 3, by Daaher
                1st Dam: Sablah, by Distorted Humor
                2nd Dam: Teeba, by Seeking the Gold
                3rd Dam: Shadayid, by Shadeed
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Shadwell Stable; B-Shadwell
Farm, LLC. (KY); T-Kiaran P. McLaughlin; J-Rajiv Maragh.
$165,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $298,900. *1/2 to Takaful
(Bernardini), GISW, $451,500. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mind Control, 123, c, 3, Stay Thirsty–Feel That Fire, by
Lightnin N Thunder. O-Red Oak Stable (Brunetti) & Madaket
Stables, LLC; B-Red Oak Stable (KY); T-Gregory D. Sacco.
$60,000.
3–Instagrand, 123, c, 3, Into Mischief–Assets of War, by Lawyer
Ron. 'TDN Rising Star' ($190,000 Ylg '17 FTKJUL; $1,200,000
2yo '18 FTFMAR). O-OXO Equine LLC; B-Stoneway Farm (KY);
T-Jerry Hollendorfer. $36,000.
Margins: 1, HF, NO. Odds: 4.40, 5.80, 1.00.
Also Ran: Much Better, Family Biz, Tikhvin Flew, Knicks Go, Not That Brady. 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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