Closing Bell Up Late in the Dueling Grounds Derby

Closing Bell capitalized on some class relief and earned a hard-fought victory in the Dueling Grounds Derby, which was moved to Monday after excess moisture in the turf course necessitated a postponement on Saturday. The dark bay closed fast to finish fourth on debut over the sod at Gulfstream and found the winner’s circle in a 1 1/16-mile maiden event over the main track at Belmont May 24. Confidently spotted in the GI Belmont Derby Invitational back on the turf on the Fourth of July, he rallied belatedly into a slow pace to finish fourth in the wake of Force the Pass (Speightstown). The $400,000 KEESEP yearling purchase recently found himself in a similarly paceless scenario in the GI Secretariat S. at Arlington Aug. 15 and made up some ground late to finish second behind European invader Highland Reel (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Strictly the one to beat in this spot, Closing Bell tracked the leaders and inched closer in piecemeal fashion on the final bend. He was fully extended for the length of the stretch to tag a resolute Wireless Future (Scat Daddy)–who was returning from a four-month layoff–on the wire by a nose, earning his first stakes victory. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

 

DUELING GROUNDS DERBY, $299,300, KD, 9-14, 3yo, 1 5/16mT, 2:17.60, gd.
1–#CLOSING BELL, 118, c, 3, by Tapit
1st Dam: Rehear, by Coronado’s Quest
2nd Dam: Chief Appeal, by Valid Appeal
3rd Dam: Silken Doll, by Chieftain
($400,000 Ylg ’13 KEESEP). O-WinStar Farm LLC;
B-W. S. Farish & Lazy F Ranch (KY); T-William I.
Mott; J-Jose Lezcano. $178,625. Lifetime Record:
GISP, 5-2-1-0, $399,165. *1/2 to Hear the Ghost
(Ghostzapper), GSW, $381,580; and Mani Bhavan
(Storm Boot), GISW, $267,000.
[bullet ad=”lanes-end-keesep-hip-556″][bullet ad=”lanes-end-bredraisedsold”]
2–Wireless Future, 118, c, 3, Scat Daddy–Princess
Whinny, by Theatrical (Ire). ($85,000 Ylg ’13
KEEJAN; $250,000 Ylg ’13 KEESEP). O-Klaravich
Stables, Inc. & William H.Lawrence; B-Serendipity
Farm (KY); T-Thomas M. Amoss. $58,750.
[bullet ad=”gainesway-consigned-by”]
3–Mission Driven, 118, g, 3, Awesome Again—
Archstone, by Arch. ($80,000 Wlg ’12 KEENOV;
$250,000 Ylg ’13 KEESEP). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred
Partners, Head of Plains Partners LLC & Highclere
America; B-James B. Moseley (KY); T-Wayne M.
Catalano. $29,375.
[bullet ad=”hunter-valley-raised-sold-by-hunter-valley-farm”][bullet ad=”bluewater-shell-big-fish”][bullet ad=”bsw-bloodstock-purchased-privately”]
Margins: HD, 2 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 0.90, 6.60, 9.40.
Also Ran: Good and Proper, Gin Riki, Fantasize, Help From Heaven, Conquest Pacemaker, Dekabrist, Seekingtheperfect. Scratched: Czar.