More Than a
Reason captured the 105
th running of the Grade 3 Queens County at
Aqueduct Racetrack in late-running fashion Saturday afternoon, posting a
last-to-first upset victory in New York’s final graded stakes race of the year.
Trailing as Seniors Pride led
through opening fractions of 24.91 and 50.49, More Than a Reason advanced on the
far turn to close willingly through the stretch under Eddie Castro and prevail
by a head over Stormy’s Majesty, who pressed the pace throughout.
The final time for the 1
3/16-mile race was 1:57.69 over Aqueduct’s fast inner track.
“I just play around with him,”
said Persaud, who claimed the 5-year-old son of More Than Ready for $15,000 at
Aqueduct in November 2008. “I baby him. He’s my best horse. I don’t
train him hard, I just run him. That’s all he does. He’s big hearted, but
you have to ride him right. One run, that’s it. If you keep him too
close to the pace or try to move too early, you get nothing.”
Persaud, who trained More Than a
Reason to a third-place finish in last year’s edition of the Queens County, said he had been pointing toward
this race, which marked the first victory in a graded stakes for both horse and
trainer.
Sent off at 19-1, the
second-longest shot on the board in the field of six, More Than a Reason
returned $40.20 to his backers in the crowd of 5,444 and earned $60,000 for
owner Anthony Calabrese. With a lifetime record of 12-9-11 from 60 starts, More
Than a Reason has now earned $477,720.
Favored Arson Squad checked in
third, and Modern Cowboy, Seniors Pride and Pedrolino completed the order of
finish.