Go For Gin and Thunder Gulch parlayed victories in the Remsen S. in 1993 and 1994, respectively, into wins on the first Saturday in May the following spring, but no horse has completed the double since. Whether Mohaymen ultimately ascends to those sorts of heights will play out over the next six months, but to date, the $2.2-million joint top-priced offering at the 2014 Keeneland September sale has not set a wrong foot forward and ran his record to a perfect three-from-three Saturday at the Big A.
The Shadwell runner debuted as the 9-5 favorite over six furlongs of the Belmont main track Sept. 19 and argued what proved to be fairly easy fractions, was overtaken by $900,000 OBS April graduate Seymourdini (Bernardini) at the stretch call, but fought back determinedly for a half-length success. The colt took the next logical step in the GII Nashua S. over this track's one-turn mile, but, drawn to the outside in the field of seven, was never able to gain any cover, but despite the ground loss, kept on nicely to post a 1 3/4-length success from Flexibility, with Sail Ahoy (Bernardini) a late-on-the-scene third. Mohaymen was favored to annex this two-turn debut, but not overwhelmingly so, as impressive maiden winner Gift Box took his fair share of the pari-mutuel action and was bet in half from his morning line of 4-1.
Donegal Moon (Malibu Moon) took full advantage of his rail draw to head them off into the first turn, but it was not an easy lead, as Flexibility applied pressure from third while Mohaymen, in receipt of first-time Lasix, dropped into the box seat from third. Gift Box settled in the second flight of horses, as did Sail Ahoy, who wanted to overrace a bit nearer the tail. Donegal Moon took them into the final five-eighths of a mile after a half in a moderate :49.16, but Flexibility was the first to make a serious move and was more or less on even terms nearing the quarter pole. Mohaymen and Gift Box made their moves in tandem, but the former got the split between the weakening Donegal Moon and inside of Flexibility, while Gift Box was left no choice but to challenge four abreast. Flexibility led narrowly into the final furlong, but Mohaymen produced a solid turn of foot, and despite some wayward antics, proved best in the finish. Gift Box stayed on at one pace to be third.
“He's a very nice horse,” offered trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who sent out another gray son of Tapit–Frosted–to finish a close second in the Remsen 12 months back. “Junior rode him great, he did everything right and it's a big win for the team. He did trickle [blood] a tiny bit last time, so we actually wait right up until they require Lasix to use it and today it worked out great.”
Mohaymen is the second graded winner for his dam, who won the GII Bonnie Miss S. and GII Davona Dale S. in 2009 and would have been the chief competition for Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) in that year's GI Kentucky Oaks, but was scratched from the race. Entered, but ultimately withdrawn from the 2009 Fasig-Tipton November sale, she was sold privately to the late Eamon Cleary's Clearsky Farm. New Year's Day was her first foal. Justwhistledixie was bred back to Tapit during the 2015 breeding season.
Saturday, Aqueduct
REMSEN S.-GII, $300,000, AQU, 11-28, 2yo, 1 1/8m, 1:50.69, ft.
1–MOHAYMEN, 122, c, 2, by Tapit
1st Dam: Justwhistledixie (MGSW & GISP, $449,427), by Dixie Union
2nd Dam: General Jeanne, by Honour and Glory
3rd Dam: Ahpo Hel, by Mr. Leader
($2,200,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-Shadwell Stable; B-Clearsky
Farms (KY); T-Kiaran P. McLaughlin; J-Junior Alvarado.
$180,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $345,000. *1/2 to New
Year's Day (Street Cry {Ire}), GISW, $1,154,000. Werk Nick
Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]
2–Flexibility, 116, c, 2, Bluegrass Cat–Santa Vindi, by
Vindication. ($80,000 Ylg '14 SARAUG; $185,000 2yo '15
FTFMAR). O-Klaravich Stables Inc. & William H. Lawrence;
B-WinStar Farm LLC (NY); T-Chad C. Brown. $60,000.[bullet ad=”nytb-12000″][bullet ad=”denali-bredbywinstarsoldbydenali”]
3–Gift Box, 116, c, 2, Twirling Candy–Special Me, by Unbridled's
Song. ($135,000 Wlg '13 FTKNOV). O-W.S. Farish; B-Machmer
Hall, Carrie & Craig Brogden (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $30,000.[bullet ad=”machmerhall-bredbybornraised”][bullet ad=”selectsales-shell”]
Margins: 1HF, 1HF, 5. Odds: 1.55, 4.50, 2.00.
Also Ran: Sail Ahoy, Donegal Moon, Ravenheart, Hunter O'Riley, Runaway King, Marengo Road.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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