Trainer
Bill Mott has Hold Me Back entered in Wednesday third race allowance feature at
Gulfstream
Park
going one mile in his first start since a disappointing sixth-place finish as
the 4-to-5 favorite in the Kentucky Cup Classic (G2) at Turfway
Park
on Sept. 26 last fall after the Travers.
A
$400,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Giant’s Causeway, Hold Me
Back earned a chance in the Kentucky Derby (G1) last spring winning the Lane’s
End Stakes (G2) at Turfway in his 3-year-old debut and finishing second in the
Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. He finished 12th of 19 with a rough trip
in the Derby
behind longshot winner Mine That Bird.
Jockey
Rajiv Maragh gets the call on Hold Me Back as they face five rival older horses.
Among them is Robert LaPenta’s 4-year-old Our Edge, who blossomed last spring
and summer for trainer Nick Zito posting three straight victories, including a
seven-length romp in the Barbaro Stakes (G3) at Delaware
Park
in July.
A son of
The Cliff’s Edge, Our Edge also ran in the Travers, setting the pace early over
the ‘sloppy’ track before being eased in the stretch. Jockey Elvis Trujillo
rides Our Edge, who went on to finish sixth after setting the pace early in the
Pennsylvania Derby (G2) on Sept. 7. In his only start since, he finished last
of seven after stumbling badly and encountering traffic problems in a
seven-furlong allowance here on Jan. 31.
Completing
the field are Erre Ene’s Colonial Causeway, Eduardo Nunez; Team Valor
International’s Stones
River,
Julien Leparoux; Courtlandt Farm’s Cassoulet, John R. Velazquez; and William
Schettine’s Wicked B. Havior, Joe Bravo.
Bullet Work for Best Actor
Gary and
Mary West’s 3-year-old Best Actor worked a strong five furlongs in a ‘bullet’
59 3/5 Saturday morning at Gulfstream
Park for trainer Wayne
Catalano in preparation for his yet to be determined next start with several
options under consideration.
A $230,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by
Rock Hard Ten, Best Actor finished third last out behind Drosselmeyer in a 1
1/8 miles allowance race over the track on Jan. 31, beaten 3 ¼ lengths, after a
four-length maiden score going a mile here on Jan. 7 in his 3-year-old debut.
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