Takeover Target, a debut winner over a yielding Belmont turf course a year ago, added a May 7 optional claimer before suffering his first loss when a neck second in the May 30 Pennine Ridge S. Fifth in the July 4 GI Belmont Derby, he broke through with a late-running half-length victory in the Aug. 7 GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. at Saratoga. He was a dull sixth as the favorite in the Sept. 5 GIII Saranac S. at that upstate course last time out. Takeover Target raced in midpack early while under a snug hold and hugging the rail as longshot Vision Perfect took the field through fractions of :25.18 and :50.82 over the boggy turf course. Takeover Target improved his position along the rail and was just behind the pacesetters entering the far turn. He was tipped out a path into the lane and rallied determinedly to reel Vision Perfect before surging clear late. “It all worked out well,” confirmed winning trainer Chad Brown. “I thought Jose [Ortiz] rode a terrific race. He really gave him a beautiful trip and the horse responded. He's a really quality horse. The first time we ran him, he ran well over yielding ground right here at Belmont, so we were confident he'd be able to handle it. His last race was disappointing. He was training so well going into the Saranac and he just didn't fire. In hindsight, he might have bounced a little bit out of the Hall of Fame win. He had a little time to recover for this race, got soft ground and a great trip. It all came together for this horse today.” The winner is out of Vanquished, a half-sister to Grade I winner Critical Eye (Dynaformer). Breeder Dorothy Matz purchased Vanquished for $500,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 2006. The mare's 2-year-old colt by Flatter sold for $190,000 at this year's OBS April sale. She produced a filly by Harlan's Holiday in 2014, a filly by Union Rags in 2015 and was bred back to Super Saver.
Saturday, Belmont Park
HILL PRINCE S.-GIII, $500,000, BEL, 10-3, 3yo,
1 1/8mT, 1:51.42, sf.
1–TAKEOVER TARGET, 120, c, 3, by Harlan's Holiday
1st Dam: Vanquished, by Empire Maker
2nd Dam: Critical Crew, by Dr. Blum
3rd Dam: Sounding Off, by Silent Screen
($175,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.
& William H. Lawrence; B-Dorothy A. Matz (KY);
T-Chad C. Brown; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $300,000. Lifetime
Record: 7-4-1-0, $603,200. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
[bullet ad=”nick-de-meric-de-meric-stables-graduate”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Vision Perfect, 116, c, 3, Pollard's Vision–Steamy,
by Speightstown. O/B-Robert Spiegel (KY); T-David
G. Donk. $100,000.[bullet ad=”valkyre-stud-foaled-raised”]3–Great Dancer (Ire), 116, c, 3, Lord Shanakill–
Enchanted Empress (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor
(Ire). (€22,000 Wlg '12 GOFNOV; £18,000 Ylg '13
DNPRM; 21,000gns Ylg '13 TATYEA). O-Matthew
Schera; B-Maurice Regan (IRE); T-James L. Lawrence,
II. $50,000.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”][bullet ad=”equix-private-purchase-brendan-heeney”]Margins: 1 3/4, 3, 2 3/4. Odds: 5.00, 23.20, 18.00.
Also Ran: World Approval, Jay Gatsby, Royal Albert Hall (GB), Money Multiplier, Tale of Life (Jpn), Macher, Winter Springs (Fr), Courtier. Scratched: Nonna's Boy, Good Luck Gus.
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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