Thunder Moccasin, a son of Stonewall Farm Ocala stallion A.P. Warrior, storms to victory in the Hutcheson Stakes (G2); Hymn Book powers to his first Grade 1 score in the Donn
Saturday’s four-race stakes program at Gulfstream Park offered a little something for everyone.
Trainer Todd Pletcher saddled his 3,000th career winner; Thunder Moccasin, a promising 3-year-old colt by Florida sire A.P. Warrior, stormed onto the scene with a rousing victory in the Hutcheson Stakes (G2); Snow Top Mountain proved best in the Suwannee River Stakes (G3); Hymn Book stole the spotlight in the Donn Handicap (G1); and millionaire veteran Get Stormy made his first start of the year a winning one in closing out the stakes action in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1).
One of the more impressive performances of the day was turned in by Thunder Moccasin in the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (G2). A son of Stonewall Farm Ocala stallion A.P. Warrior, Thunder Moccasin stormed down the stretch under John Velazquez to pull away to a 6 ¾-length score in the 7-furlong Hutcheson over a good track, scoring his first graded stakes victory in his second start and remaining undefeated.
“He broke half a step slow but it worked out perfectly because I was able to get great position outside of the other speed. I wanted to make a quick move on the turn to try to surprise the other horse and it worked,” Velazquez said. “He runs so hard every step of the way.”
Fractional times for the race were :23.34, :46.89, and 1:11.17, with a final time of 1:24.16.
Bred by Stonewall Farm and owned by Starlight Racing, Thunder Moccasin won his career debut at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 24, earning a whopping Beyer Speed Figure of 97. He covered 6 ½ furlongs that day in a sprightly 1:15 4/5. The maiden-breaking effort has proved to be a key race. The second-place finisher Ender Knievel, third-place finisher Panthro, and fourth-place finisher Stealcase all won their next races out.
“He’s a very talented colt,” Pletcher said. “His first race was so impressive with the move he made we thought we’d take a shot and go right into the Hutcheson. The race came up just the way we talked about where we sat just off the five (Il Villano), a horse with more seasoning, and he handled it beautifully.”
“If he comes back all right, the logical spot next would be the Swale (March 10). Right now, my inclination is that he’ll be best staying in one-turn races,” Pletcher said.
The win with Thunder Moccasin in the Hutcheson marks the seventh time Pletcher has won the Hutcheson, with previous victories coming in a dead-heat in 2000, and five straight from 2003-2007. In 2011, Pletcher finished second in the Hutcheson with Travelin Man, who returned to win the Swale Stakes.
The victory became career win no. 3,002 for Pletcher, who earlier in the card earned his 3,000th career victory when Triple Crown nominee Spring Hill Farm dominated the third race going wire-to-wire to remain undefeated and sent Majestic Number to victory in the race right after.
The 56th running of the Donn Handicap, the first major race for older horses this year attracted a strong field of 11, including Shackleford, winner of last year’s Preakness Stakes (G1) and Ruler On Ice, victorious in last year’s Belmont Stakes.
But at the end of the 1 1/8-mile journey, it was Hymn Book, Stuart Janney’s homebred son of Arch, who proved best on the day for trainer Shug McGaughey. Hymn Book, benefitting from a perfectly-timed ride from John Velazquez, collared Mission Impazible inside the sixteenth pole, overcame some bumping with Where’s Sterling when Mission Impazible veered out slightly in the stretch and prevailed by the narrowest of margins. Mission Impazible, who snuck through an opening along the rail at the head of the lane, finished second, Redeemed was third and Where’s Sterling wound up fourth.
Hymn Book completed the distance in 1:49.16.
“When I pulled him out, he came running,” said winning jockey, John Velazquez, who rode four winners, including Thunder Moccasin, on Saturday’s card. “He put up a good fight down the stretch.”
The Donn was the first Grade 1 win for Hymn Book, who finished second in the Cigar Mile (G1) last November at Aqueduct.
“Right after he ran so well in the Cigar Mile I started thinking about this race for him, although I didn’t know it would come up this strong,” said McGaughey. “This was a good field. We were concerned about the post position (10 of 11) and he kind of got caught out there on the first turn, but then got a good position down the backstretch. Johnny (Velazquez) has always had a lot of confidence in him going back to when he was second to Flat Out in the Suburban. He trained great for this race since he got down here and looked good blowing out. We’re New York people and naturally will want a fresh horse for the big races up there later this year, but the Oaklawn Handicap (April 14) is one option we might consider before that.”
Mission Impazible looked like a winner at the eighth pole after slipping through an opening along the rail turning for home.
“That was a nasty beat,” said Pletcher. “The horse ran super and ran a very professional race. He sat inside the pocket and it’s as good as he’s ever run. He got emboldened when that horse (Hymn Book) headed him and came back and one jump past the wire he had his nose back in front.”
Shackleford, who was making his first start since finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), closely stalked the early pace set Trickmeister before fading to seventh.
“He settled nice and wasn’t aggressive, which is what we wanted,” said Jesus Castanon, the regular rider for the Dale Roman’s trained 4-year-old. “When I pulled the trigger, he just didn’t give me that run he usually does.”
Ruler On Ice was never a factor while finishing eighth under Rosie Napravnik in his 2012 debut, which was contested on a drying-out “good” track.
“He was spinning his wheels a little bit, like he didn’t really handle the track,” said trainer Kelly Breen, whose colt captured the Belmont on a sloppy track. “It wasn’t the slop we were hoping for, but he’s raced good on a fast track before. He went through the motions a little bit and that’s it.”
Barbara Hunter’s homebred Snow Top Mountain rolled through the stretch to take down top prize in the $150,000 Suwannee River Stakes (G3) at 1 1/8 miles over a turf course listed as good after recent rains. Hit It Rich, who grabbed the lead in the stretch, finished second.
The winner, a 5-year-old mare by Najran conditioned by Tom Proctor, was ridden by Jose Lezcano
“We’ve kind of considered her a little sister (to owner-breeder Barbara Hunter’s 6-year-old multiple stakes winner Keertana), but after this race we might have to reconsider,” said Proctor, who was out of town attending a wedding and was reached by Gulfstream’s publicity department. “That was a solid field and with five or six in there that look like they are solid Grade 3 horses.”
Sullimar Stable’s 6-year-old veteran millionaire Get Stormy closed out the stakes offerings on Saturday with a wire-to-wire victory in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1) at 1 1/8 miles on the lawn. The Thomas Bush trainee was ready to roll in his first start since being virtually eased in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) last November.
Ramon Dominguez guided Get Stormy through some pedestrian early fractions and held Hollinger at bay in the drive to the wire to post the victory.
“I was really pleased with how well he relaxed, especially off the layoff,” Dominguez said. “He settled into a great stride and handled the ground beautifully. When I called on him he just kept going. He got a little tired late but it was still enough to get the job done.”
In a pre-race interview, Bush expressed confidence in his charge and was not concerned with the amount of moisture in the turf course.
“It was not a surprise,” Bush said. “He’s a special horse and got a special ride today. I was not concerned about the ground at all. He showed from early in his career he handles soft ground.”
Bush added that Get Stormy is likely to make his next start in the Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland.
Photo by Coglianese
