Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman's Toews On Ice (Archarcharch) became the first graded stakes winner for his freshman sire (by Arch) with a gritty score in the GIII Bob Hope S. at Del Mar Saturday night. Avoiding early trouble caused by Jury (Tale of the Cat) who took a hard left out of the two-hole and impeded Dr. Dorr (Lookin at Lucky), the 4-5 chalk seized the early advantage and exchanged blows with the headstrong Mac Daddy Mac (Put It Back) through sharp opening fractions of :22.84 and :45.85. Toews on Ice showed the way into the lane with that rival still glued to his side and the pair continued their battle into the final furlong, where the favorite finally shook free of his pursuer and edged clear to score.
“You're always worried when a horse gets headed like he did,” said assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes. “But it looked like Martin [Garcia] was just cruising and he responded when he had to. He'd been doing this thing where he would switch leads if you hit him aggressively, so Martin had to ride him with a little more finesse and the horse changed on his own. Martin did a good job. You want to see a horse come back like he did. It was gratifying.”
Third on debut in the slop here July 18, Toews on Ice completed the trifecta again behind a “TDN Rising Star” performance from Young Brian (Hard Spun) over this course Aug. 8. Earning his diploma with a dominant 7 1/4-length victory in the restricted Barretts Juvenile S. at Los Alamitos Sept. 20, the dark bay scored another decisive victory next out over the reopposing Street Vision (Street Sense) in Santa Anita's six-furlong Speakeasy S. Oct. 18.
The winner's GSP dam Wild Forest Cat (D'wildcat) produced a full brother to the winner in 2014 and a full sister this year. She was bred back to Trappe Shot. Winning trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Martin Garcia teamed up to win the Del Mar night cap with fellow 2-year-old Drefong (Gio Ponti), who earned “TDN Rising Star” status after an ultra-impressive graduation at second asking.
Saturday, Del Mar
BOB HOPE S.-GIII, $100,500, DMR, 11-14, 2yo, 7f, 1:22.27, ft.
1–@TOEWS ON ICE, 120, c, 2, by Archarcharch
1st Dam: Wild Forest Cat (GSP), by D'wildcat
2nd Dam: Bon Caro, by Bon Point (GB)
3rd Dam: Really Dear, by Caro (Ire)
($110,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP; $340,000 RNA 2yo '15 BARMAR). O-Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman; B-Lakland Farm (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Martin Garcia. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-2, $175,200. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. [bullet ad=”burleson-farms-consigned-by”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″] 2–Mac Daddy Mac, 116, c, 2, Put It Back–Abuela Esther (Uru), by Crater (Arg). ($65,000 Ylg '14 OBSAUG; $200,000 2yo '15 OBSMAR). O-William Dean Reeves; B-Stud El Aguila (FL); T-Katherine Ritvo. $20,000. [bullet ad=”mcelroy-equine-2yo-purchase”][bullet ad=”nick-de-meric-purchase-graduate”] 3–I'malreadythere, 116, g, 2, Crown of Thorns–Wildfire Ruby, by Wild Event. O-Steve Melen, Richard A. Robertson, Steve Taub & Jerry Hollendorfer; B-Thomas J. Lane (FL); T-Jerry Hollendorfer. $12,000. Margins: 1 1/4, 3 1/4, HF. Odds: 0.90, 4.00, 16.20. Also Ran: Dr. Dorr, Street Vision, Jury, On Fire.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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