Goombada Guska got a patient ride
and a perfect trip Saturday afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack, taking the lead in
the stretch and holding off a late charge from More Than a Reason to win the
$65,000 Stymie.
With 2-5 favorite Remand under
heavy pressure from Masala through the early going, jockey Jose Valdivia, Jr.
settled Goombada Guska in third, five lengths behind the leaders, as they
dueled through an opening quarter in 23.16, a half in 48.88 and three-quarters
in 1:13.81. Rounding the turn, Goombada Guska began advancing on the embattled
front-runners, forging to the lead inside the quarter-pole with enough left to
turn back a determined bid from More Than a Reason for a half-length victory.
His winning time for the 1 1/8
miles was 1:51.53 over the fast inner track.
“The race set up for him
perfectly,” said Valdivia.
“I was hoping that somebody would put a little pressure on Remand, but I didn’t
think he’d get that much pressure! What can I say – I had a perfect trip and my
horse was ready to run a big race.”
The victory was the second in four
starts over the Big A’s inner track for the 4-year-old New Jersey-bred. He won
the Cosmic Bob overnight stakes on December 15, was fourth in the Evening
Attire on January 15, and then second to Modern Cowboy in his most recent
start, the Bald Eagle overnight stakes, on January 29.
“The horse has to have something
to run at, and he got it today,” said Scott Volk, who trains Goombada Guska for
Navesink Breeders. “It took us a while to figure him out. Jose fits this horse
very well; he’s a patient rider.”
The 5-2 second choice, Goombada
Guska paid $7.10 for a $2 win bet to his backers in the crowd of 5,852 as he
extended his record to 5-3-2 from 19 starts. With the winner’s purse of
$39,000, he has now earned $262,000.
More Than a Reason was 2 ¾ lengths
ahead of Masala, with Remand another 6 ¼ lengths back. Arson Squad was
scratched.