Photo: MEC
Joseph Witek’s 3-year-old Kentucky homebred colt Majestic Hussar has
run well in two allowance starts sprinting at Gulfstream Park this
winter for trainer Eddie Kenneally, and is set to face his biggest
challenge yet when he tries two turns for the first time in next
Saturday’s (Feb. 23) $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16
miles.
“We know we have a quality sprinter after his two races here with
the horses he ran against,” said Kenneally Thursday afternoon. “We want
to try the distance. If it doesn’t work we still know we have a good
sprinter. We know he likes the track. Gabriel Saez will ride him.”
A son of Majestic Warrior, Majestic Hussar ran twice last summer at
two winning his debut at Saratoga in August and finishing seventh behind
Shanghai Bobby in the Three Chimneys Hopeful Stakes (G2) in September
after setting the pace to the upper stretch.
In his two starts here Majestic Hussar finished second to Falling
Sky on Dec. 15 and was impressive winning by 2 ¼ lengths over favorite
Palace Malice going seven furlongs on Jan. 19. Falling Sky came back to
win the $250,000 Sam Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.
Majestic Hussar’s 5-year-old half-brothers Joes Blazing Aaron and
4-year-old Tiz Sardonic Joe are nominated for the $150,000 Canadian Turf
Stakes (G2) the same afternoon as the Fountain of Youth. “We’re going
to run Joes Blazing Aaron in the Canadian and hope it turns out to be a
family day,” said Kenneally.
The three siblings are out of Distorted Blaze, by Distorted Humor
and both Joes Blazing Aaron and Tiz Sardonic Joe lost photo decisions in
their last starts here, the former on Jan. 5 when it took placing
judges quite a while to separate him from the Live Oak Plantation’s
victorious Za Approval in a tough allowance field.
Joe Blazing Aaron is a chestnut gelding by Graeme Hall who won the
2011 Palm Beach Stakes (G3) over the course here when trained by Allen
Hunter, Jr. He went on to Kentucky that spring to set the pace in the
Blue Grass Stakes (G1) to the upper stretch before tiring to sixth
behind Brilliant Speed.
While Joes Blazing Aaron is targeted for the Canadian Turf, Tiz
Sardonic Joe is entered in this Saturday’s $150,000 Tampa Bay Stakes
(G3) at Tampa Bay Downs along with six other South Florida-based horses,
several of which made their last starts at Gulfstream, including Za
Approval.
A son of Tiznow, Tiz Sardonic Joe was a sharp allowance winner at
Gulfstream on Dec. 15 and lost a neck decision when second by a neck in
the Fort Lauderdale Stakes (G2) on Jan. 12 behind longshot Mucho Mas
Macho with Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Big Blue Kitten another length back in
third. Big Blue Kitten is making the trip for the Tampa Bay Stakes (G3)
Saturday from Palm Meadows for trainer Chad Brown.