BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Otago had finished behind Forever Souper in the last two editions of the ESMARK Turf Classic at Tampa Bay Downs but got the best of his fellow Florida-bred Saturday with a dramatic victory in the $100,000 Cliff Hanger on the grass at Monmouth Park.
Ridden by Axel Concepcion and trained by Kelsey Danner, Otago was last of eight 3-year-olds and older heading into the clubhouse turn with There Are No Words showing the way by a length ahead of Belouni (Fr) in second with Forever Souper tucked in a pocket on the rail in third.
Forever Souper took the lead in the second turn and had daylight on the field into the stretch when Conception steered Otago to the outside to begin closing in from fifth. Forever Souper was still a length in front with a sixteenth of a mile to the wire but Otago caught him at the finish to win by a half length in 1:42.54 on the firm turf. Highest Distinction edged Forever Souper for second. He’spuregold, Signator, There Are No Words, Fulmineo and Belouni completed the order of finish.
Otago paid $26.60 win at odds of 12-1.
“I thought [Concepcion] gave him great ride,” Danner said. “He saved ground and then tipped out when they were slowing down on the rail. I thought it was a fantastic ride. Otago has in the past [shown this late kick]. He can grind a little bit but he was covered up and it worked out well.”
Conception credited Danner with the winning race strategy.
“[Danner] told me he likes to be covered up. He broke good and relaxed very well. He was traveling nice the whole time so I took my time. Going to the quarter pole I had a perfect trip. I went to the outside to get clear. As soon as he changed leads he gave me a really good turn of foot.”
Owned by Crowns Way Racing LLC, a partnership group organized by brothers Tony and Tyler Rallo; Art Neuhedel, John Ballantyne and Daryl Shaw’s NBS Stable, Edward Delava and Eli Diamant, Otago was ninth in the nine-furlong Turf Classic won by Crystal Quest with Forever Souper second at Tampa Bay Downs on March 30 in his first start of the year. The 5-year-old son of Speightstown then rebounded to finish second to Dataman in an upper level, $55,000 optional claiming going a mile at Laurel on May 3.
“I kind of thought it was an even group,” Danner said. “I was surprised I was that long odds, especially since I thought he got a lot out of his allowance race his last time out. That should have been a stakes race. He’s rounding off after the layoff, with this being his third start off the layoff.”
The Cliff Hanger is the second career stakes victory for Otago after winning the $100,000 Equistaff Sophomore Turf at Tampa Bay Downs in March of 2023. Last year, Otago was fourth in the $100,000 Turf Classic at Tampa Bay won by Forever Souper.
Otago has now won five of 16 starts with three seconds and two thirds and the $60,000 first-place check increased his career revenues to $299,825. He was a $375,000 purchase by NBS Stable and John Ballantyne at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Florida Select Sale of 2-year-olds in training.
Bred in Florida by Courtney Meagher and Speightstown Syndicate, Otago is out of multiple stakes-winning War Chant mare Mom’s Deputy. Mom’s Deputy has seven starters, all winners, from nine foals including multiple graded stakes-winning Florida-bred Mom’s On Strike, by Double Diamond Farm stallion First Dude; and multiple stakes-placed Florida-bred Reminder, by Audible. Mom’s Deputy has an unraced 2-year-old colt, Deputy Lad, by Yaupon and was bred to Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Verifying in 2024.
Return to the May 24 issue of Wire to Wire
