Mr. Money may not have made the Kentucky Derby field, but he was still an impressive winner beneath the Twin Spires on the First Saturday in May with a decisive score in the GIII Pat Day Mile. The 7-1 shot saved ground in mid pack through 22.21 opening quarter set by the battling trio of Manny Wah (Will Take Charge), Dunph (Temple City) and Mr Money Bags (Silver City). Eagerly tugging his way up to sit on the leading trio's tails through a half in :45.42, the bay squeezed between Dunph and Manny Wah to take control entering the far turn. Mr. Money cruised clear in the lane, opening up on the field with ease to win by 5 1/4 lengths. Hog Creek Hustle tried his best in the lane, but never gained ground on the leader and finished second ahead of 'TDN Rising Star' Dream Maker. Heavily favored Instagrand (Into Mischief) failed to show his usual speed and never fired throughout, finishing eighth.
“He was a little bit more forward than By My Standards over the winter,” said winning trainer Bret Calhoun. “In the Louisiana Derby, he ran a good race, didn't have a perfect trip. But he got up here and he's trained phenomenally well. We thought the Pat Day Mile would suit him. I don't know how far he wants to go, but based on the way he ran today, I don't think going a little farther is going to stop him.”
He continued, “Great ride by [Gabriel Saez]. He hit a little traffic and didn't panic. He really couldn't have waited any longer, couldn't hold him any longer. I knew they'd be coming, but when he split horses and got in the clear he looked like a winner.”
“It was a good race for him,” Saez said. “He was finally able to get it back together again. I couldn't have a better trip than that. Saving ground for later, I split horses turning for home and, man, the minute he was free, he explodes. He finished really well, and handled the track, and got the job done. He's been doing fabulous, day by day, week by week. He's been coming along, and I was just really happy with him today, and thought he would run a big race, and he did, he did.”
Mr. Money graduated at third asking when stretched to 1 1/16 miles for the first time at Churchill Downs Sept. 28 and was fourth behind champion Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}) next out in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile beneath the Twin Spires Nov. 2. A well-beaten seventh in the GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds Feb. 16, he was an even fifth behind his stablemate, fellow Allied Racing Stable colorbearer and GI Kentucky Derby contender By My Standards (Goldencents) in the GII Louisiana Derby in NOLA Mar. 23.
Pedigree Notes:
Mr. Money is the second graded winner from the first crop of his two-time GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winning-sire Goldencents with the first being his stablemate By My Standards. He is also the fourth black-type victor for the young Spendthrift stallion. The winner's dam Plenty O'Toole has produced two winners from two foals to race thus far. She has a juvenile colt named Mr. Kidd (Palace), a yearling filly by Awesome Again and a Speightstown filly born Feb. 17 of this year. Mr. Money hails from the family of G1 Dubai World Cup hero Well Armed (Tiznow), GI Maker's 46 Mile victory American Patriot (War Front), GSW Witty (Distorted Humor) and GISP Helsinki (Distorted Humor).
Saturday, Churchill Downs
PAT DAY MILE S. PRESENTED BY LG AND E AND KU-GIII, $396,000, Churchill Downs, 5-4, 3yo, 1m, 1:35.21, ft.
1–MR. MONEY, 118, c, 3, by Goldencents
1st Dam: Plenty O'Toole, by Tiznow
2nd Dam: O' Toole, by Distorted Humor
3rd Dam: Well Dressed, by Notebook
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($130,000
Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Allied Racing Stable, LLC; B-Spruce Lane
Farm (KY); T-W. Bret Calhoun; J-Gabriel Saez. $225,680.
Lifetime Record: 7-2-2-0, $400,080. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click
for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Hog Creek Hustle, 118, c, 3, Overanalyze–Candy Fortune, by
Candy Ride (Arg). ($150,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Something
Special Racing, LLC & Beth Moore; B-Hargus & Sandra Sexton
& Silver Fern Farm, LLC (KY); T-Vickie L. Foley. $72,800.
3–Dream Maker, 118, c, 3, Tapit–To Dream About, by
Monarchos. 'TDN Rising Star' O/B-John C. Oxley (KY); T-Mark Casse. $36,400.
Margins: 5 1/4, 2HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 7.50, 16.50, 16.70.
Also Ran: Captain Von Trapp, Everfast, Frolic More, Dunph, Instagrand, Last Judgment, Durkin's Call, Tobacco Road, Manny Wah, Mr Money Bags. Scratched: Market King, Global Campaign.
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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