Despite being forced to cover a ton of extra real estate while off the course on the final turn, Sharp Samurai managed to sustain his momentum into the lane and held off a late lunge from Fashion Business (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to land Sunday's GIII LaJolla H. at Del Mar.
Content to travel in the latter half of the field, the 6-5 favorite raced keenly down the backstretch, but looked to settle slightly better once Double Touch (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) went for a four-wide run and he was able to secure some cover, at least temporarily. Left with no other option but to go overland leaving the three-eighths pole, Sharp Samurai was coddled along as he joined the fray with a furlong and a half to travel, tightened up the rallying Colonist (Pioneerof the Nile) at the
furlong grounds and just managed to find the wire first as Fashion Business hit the line hardest of all. Due to the ground loss, Sharp Samurai covered an additional 44 feet (about 4 1/2 lengths), according to Trakus data. He becomes the 13th career graded winner for Claiborne Farm's First Samurai.
“That was–as they say in Europe–a messy race,” said Stevens, winning the LaJolla for the first time since partnering with Ladies Din in 1998. “Nothing was happening the way it was supposed to. The horses I thought would go didn't go. It didn't unfold at all like I thought it would. My horse was relaxing, but then Kent [Desormeaux on Double Touch] came up fast outside me and my horse engaged him. I got him to settle again and I could see that Flavien [Prat on Colonist] down on the rail was loaded, so I wanted to keep him down there. I had to make my move a little earlier that I normally would. Then after I made my run, here came Talamo [on Fashion Business] in the lane. Good thing I saw his shadow out of the corner of my eye. He [Sharp Samurai] was pressed all the way and got it done.”
Sharp Samurai dusted $75,000 maiden claimers by better than nine lengths in February, but was well-beaten in sixth by 'TDN Rising Star' Battle of Midway (Smart Strike) in a Mar. 9 Santa Anita allowance and off to the turf he went. Winner of his first try on the grass Apr. 6, the bay was fourth to subsequent Oceanside S. hero Bowies Hero (Artie Schiller) in the May 6 Singletary S., but bounced back to win the June 10 Rainbow S. in Arcadia.
Pedigree Notes:
Sharp Samurai represents both the 13th graded stakes winner for First Samurai and the 13th graded winner as a broodmare sire for the late Street Cry (Ire). Secret Wish, a stakes winner in Canada, is a half-sister to the talented filly Academic (Henny Hughes), who won the 2015 Woodbine Oaks, then defeated males in the GIII Canadian Derby and GIII British Colombia Derby. Secret Wish is also kin to Awesome Fire (Strong Contender), winner of the 2012 Wonder Where S. on the grass and third in that year's Woodbine Oaks. Sharp Samurai is the last of two listed foals for his dam.
Sunday, Del Mar
LA JOLLA H.-GIII, $151,035, DMR, 8-6, 3yo, 8.5fT, 1:41.51, fm.
1–@SHARP SAMURAI, 122, g, 3, by First Samurai
1st Dam: Secret Wish (SW, $188,908), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Awesome Lass, by Awesome Again
3rd Dam: Smart n' Irish, by Smarten
($85,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Red Baron's Barn LLC, Rancho Temescal LLC & Mark Glatt; B-Cudney Stables (KY); T-Mark Glatt; J-Gary L Stevens. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 7-4-0-0, $195,870. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. [bullet ad=”glennwood-bredraisedconsigned”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Fashion Business (GB), 116, g, 3, Frankel (GB)&log=">Frankel (GB)–Icon Project, by Empire Maker. O-Little Red Feather Racing & Marsha Naify; B-Andrew Rosen (GB); T-Philip D'Amato. $30,000.[bullet ad=”justin-casse-fashion-bussiness-double”][bullet ad=”hugomerry-bloodstock”]3–Colonist, 118, c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–She Cat, by Bluegrass Cat. ($300,000 Wlg '14 KEENOV). O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Springland Farm & HKN (KY); T-Jerry Hollendorfer. $18,000.[bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”]Margins: HD, 3/4, 3 3/4. Odds: 1.20, 12.30, 3.80.
Also Ran: Placido, Pioneer Lad, Offshore, Double Touch (GB), Monster Man. Scratched: Caribou Club.
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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