Friday, Aqueduct
NASHUA S.-GII, $190,000, AQU, 11-4, 2yo, 1m, 1:38.70, ft.
1–#@HEMSWORTH, 116, c, 2, by Bernardini
1st Dam: In Step (SW & GSP, $123,110),
by Unbridled's Song
2nd Dam: Strawberry Reason, by Strawberry Road (Aus)
3rd Dam: Pretty Reason, by Hail to Reason
O-Godolphin Racing LLC; B-Darley (KY); T-Thomas Albertrani;
J-Antonio A. Gallardo. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 3-1-0-0,
$127,900.[bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Han Sense, 122, c, 2, Hansen–Humble Retha, by Siberian
Pine. ($125,000 Ylg '15 FTKJUL). O-Kendall E. Hansen; B-H.
Allen Poindexter (IA); T-Michael J. Maker. $40,000.[bullet ad=”woodford-winning”][bullet ad=”gainesway-consigned-by”]3–Capitaine, 116, c, 2, Tapit–Hearty Laugh, by Distorted
Humor. ($400,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Courtlandt Farms
(Donald & Donna Adam); B-Fred W. Hertrich lll & John D.
Fielding (KY); T-Mark A. Hennig. $20,000.[bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”]Margins: 9HF, 1 1/4, 15HF. Odds: 6.00, 4.50, 0.30.
Also Ran: Boys From Boston. Scratched: Mo Town.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Hemsworth came into this Aqueduct opening day feature with just a pair of fourth-place finishes on his resume, but left no doubt of his promise with a romping win to break his maiden in stakes company.
A distant superfecta filler behind undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' and GI Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile entrant Theory (Gemologist) in his unveiling July 30, the Godolphin colorbearer occupied the same slot after breaking slowly over a mile at Belmont Sept. 11.
Off as the third choice in this four-horse group while adding Lasix, Hemsworth benefitted from heavy favorite Capitaine and Han Sense both stumbling at the start and found himself on a lonely lead through moderate fractions of :24.37 and :47.94. Gradually shaking further clear around the bend, he set sail for home four lengths to the good and steadily widened in the final furlong to cruise home an impressive winner. Han Sense held second over Capitaine.
“We've been very high on this colt since Saratoga this summer,” said Dan Stupp, assistant to winning trainer Tom Albertrani. “Just looking at him, he looks like he wants to go a little longer. When this race came up short on horses, Tommy decided to give him a crack at it because we've always had high hopes for him.”
Winning pilot Antonio Gallardo added: “The plan was not [to] push him or hold him back, whatever he felt comfortable doing, it was fine. Once I saw the No. 2 [Han Sense] stumble from the gate, I said 'OK, let's go.' It worked out good.”
Pedigree Notes:
Hemsworth is out of a dam who captured the Queen Tutta S. at Belmont and was third in Keeneland's GIII Pin Oak Valley View S. She is a half-sister to 2002's champion 2-year-old colt and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero Vindication (Seattle Slew), as well as GSW Scipion (A.P. Indy) and MGSP Blackberry Road (Gone West). Second dam Strawberry Reason is a GSW and half to GSW/GISP Silver Comet (Flip Sal). In Step, whose first foal, Stevie Ray (Bernardini), sold for $1 million as a Keeneland September yearling, is responsible for a yearling colt by Discreet Cat who went for $145,000 at the same sale this term. She foaled a Malibu Moon colt this spring and was bred back to Tapit.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
