'TDN Rising Star' Hall of Fame (Gun Runner) enjoyed a beautiful trip in transit, pulled out for the drive and out-bobbed Komorebino Omoide (Jpn) (California Chrome) to take out the GIII Mineshaft Stakes at the Fair Grounds.
Favored at 8-5 while in search of his third consecutive victory following an eight-month layoff, the $1.4-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate box-seated the 8 1/2-furlong contest as Maycocks Bay (Speightstown) led in advance of the Japanese-bred import through modest early fractions.
Full of run on the turn beneath Jose Ortiz, Hall of Fame angled away from the inside and into the three path, prepared to tackle the pacesetters. As Maycocks Bay fell away, Komorebino Omoide was keeping on strongly and the two runners ended up side-by-side in the dying strides before Hall of Fame got his head down on the wire first.
An objection was lodged by jockey Jansen Melancon aboard Komorebino Omoide, alleging interference in deep stretch, but in actual fact, it was his mount that drifted off a true line and the claim of foul was dismissed fairly quickly.
Hall of Fame, seventh in last year's GII Risen Star Stakes and 10th in the GII Louisiana Derby, returned from the shelf with an allowance win at Churchill Downs Dec. 1 and an optional claiming tally over track and trip Jan. 5.
“He's really putting it together,” winning trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He's an exciting horse from a tremendous family. It was very impressive today how he showed a new dimension by sitting behind a slow opening half-mile and coming home in a fast time. I'm very thankful we were able to give him the time to fill in and grow into himself. I think the sky is the limit.”
Pedigree Notes:
Hall of Fame becomes the 27th graded/38th stakes winner worldwide for leading sire Gun Runner. The unraced Flag Day (Giant's Causeway) is also responsible for the unraced 3-year-old colt Lordship (Gun Runner), the 2-year-old colt Massachusetts (Constitution) ($450,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Steven W. Young, agent) and a yearling colt by Justify. She was bred to Good Magic for 2025.
#4 HALL OF FAME ($5.40) narrowly defeats Komorebino Omoide in the $250,000 Mineshaft Stakes (G3) at @fairgroundsnola. This is the first graded win for the four-year-old Gun Runner (@Three_Chimneys) colt. @jose93_ortiz was in the irons for Steve Asmussen. pic.twitter.com/GwhtOvvi5k
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) February 15, 2025
Saturday, Fair Grounds
MINESHAFT S. PRESENTED BY RELYNE GI BY HAGYARD-GIII, $247,500, Fair Grounds, 2-15, 4yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:42.89, ft.
1–HALL OF FAME, 120, c, 4, by Gun Runner
1st Dam: Flag Day, by Giant's Causeway
2nd Dam: Sense to Compete, by Street Sense
3rd Dam: Compete, by El Prado (Ire)
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN. ($1,400,000 Ylg '22 FTSAUG). O-Mrs. John Magnier,
Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg, Gandharvi LLC
and Brook T. Smith; B-Earle I. Mack LLC (KY); T-Steven M.
Asmussen; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $150,000. Lifetime Record: 7-4-1-0,
$322,960. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Komorebino Omoide (Jpn), 122, h, 5, California
Chrome–Decennial, by Trippi. O/B-Perry Martin (JPN);
T-Robertino Diodoro. $50,000.
3–Maycocks Bay, 118, c, 4, Speightstown–Hallie Belle,
by Medaglia d'Oro. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK
TYPE. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Michael Stidham. $25,000.
Margins: HD, 2 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.70, 14.20, 15.40.
Also Ran: Batten Down, Heroic Move, Tuscan Sky, Catching Freedom, Warrior Johny.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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