Our Shot received his shot within the stretch run of the Woodford Stakes (G2T) Oct. 5 at Keeneland when jockey Luis Saez received him operating room and the 5-year-old Kantharos gelding responded with a 1 3/4-length victory.
The judges examined the picture intently earlier than anointing Charcoal as runner-up and Arzak as third in a multihorse blanket end.
Our Shot took his customary early slot, tucked away amongst a strong subject, by means of the early levels of the 5 1/2-furlong turf dash. It was solely as they straightened for house that the seas parted and he discovered his greatest stride. The gelding stopped the timer in 1:02.36 for the 5 1/2 furlongs over a agency turf course.
Away at 5-1, he returned $13.66 for a $2 win ticket.
“We actually preferred him for this race. His final two races at Saratoga have been somewhat difficult. We had a whole lot of bother however we could not wait to be right here at the moment and have been fairly snug that he was going to do a reasonably good race,” Saez mentioned.
Our Shot bagged his first stakes win, though coach John Terranova II famous, “We have been shut a few occasions. He is been doing effectively all summer season. He had a few tight runs at Saratoga.”
These included a runner-up displaying, crushed only a nostril, in an non-compulsory claimer in July and one other second, a head behind the gifted Huge Invasion , within the Harvey Pack Stakes Sept. 2 at Saratoga Race Course.
Bred in Pennsylvania by Dr. S. Mark Rayburg, the gelding runs for the partnership of Gatsas Stables, Steve Schoenfeld, and Terranova.
“He was coming into this race doing rather well,” the coach added. “We noticed somewhat one thing further in him this week—his perspective, simply his entire psychological perspective and every part since he received right here. So we have been fairly assured he was going to run a superb race.”
Regardless of the development, Terranova dashed hopes Our Shot would possibly present up in Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
“We’ll presumably give him somewhat break now. He is not Breeders’ Cup eligible. I will speak to the house owners however we would wish to maintain him round for some time so possibly not.”
“Horses in this type of race (turf sprints) are inclined to get somewhat higher with age,” he added. “They do not get to run that always. Perhaps that has one thing to do with it. Charcoal is 8, so there you’ve gotten it.”
Arzak is a 6-year-old whole so the mixed age of the primary three finishers was 19.
Charcoal’s proprietor, Ron Dowdy, sang a unique music concerning the Breeders’ Cup.
“On to Del Mar,” Dowdy mentioned, celebrating an end result that was “actually good, not nice” within the Woodford.
Noting Charcoal had not hit the board in three earlier experiences on the Keeneland turf, Dowdy cited course circumstances.
“We have come shut earlier than. However the turf was all the time rock exhausting,” he mentioned. “The rain (downpours every week earlier) actually helped us.”
The also-rans within the Woodford included the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash (G1T) winner Nobals , who completed in a lifeless warmth for fifth with stablemate One Timer . Each are skilled by Larry Rivelli. No Nay Hudson , a Wesley Ward trainee, reported tenth after a just-missed third within the Inexperienced Flash Handicap (G3T) in his earlier begin.
The second by means of eighth place finishers within the Woodford have been separated by lower than two lengths.
