Every year the way to the Kentucky Derby is a shop window for how quickly a adolescent 3-year-old can develop. That was true again on March 22nd, if Endgambit From his first victory, an devastating turn in the route was unleashed to win the 776,364 -jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at 776,364 US dollars Grass park.
The Gray Or Roan Colt started its career with three consecutive races. From this performance, coach Brad Cox came to owner Juddmonte with the plan to lead him in Jeff Ruby, and quoted the 1 1/8 mile distance, which is an advantage.
“He is a horse that was pretty immature from the start, so we only developed it slowly,” said Cox 'Turfway assistant Tessa Walden. “He continuously showed the ability to rise, we thought it was a good time to try it.”
With the regular driver Luan Machado in the saddle, the stallion occurred Charlie guilt And Innovator Raced to set a swift opening area in: 22.97 before they were released after the break from: 47.91 and 1: 12.84.
Machado said he didn't expect to be as far back as he was, but the horse gave him any indication that he would make the ground out when he was called. To run somewhere, Machado swung the largest in the track.
“As soon as I asked him, they came back to me very quickly,” said Machado. “Then I was in a situation in which I could no longer go out. I had to wait to try to go through. They accelerated a little after the three-dubbing and that helped me a little to go through and go out.”
Once in the trail, the step of the last gampits was too powerful to overcome it. He hurried to the lead in front of the sixteenth pole and called Checkmate when he retired to win with 3 1/2 lengths. He stopped the clock in 1: 50.10 and paid $ 32.14 to win.
Jockey Luan Machado celebrates the Jeff Ruby Steaks win of the last gambits
“I was overwhelmed by the kick,” said Garrett O'Rourke, General Manager of Juddmonte USA. “It was very impressive.”
Fly Mohawk who also raced near the pack, gathered for the second time Maximum promise Third occupied. Last year Remsen Stakes (G2) winner of the year Poster The 9-5 favorite, completed the Superfecta.
The Jeff Ruby offered Kentucky Derby (G1) qualification points on a scale of 100-50-25-15-10 for the five best finisher, which probably won both the final gambit and the flying Mohawk in the starting gate if you decide to take it. Neither of the two horse drove on the dirt and debuted before the lawn before the lawn before two synthetic starts start before the Ruby. Flying Mohawk had only driven on lawn in five earlier starts.
“We will settle things a little and have some discussions about it because I think we have one of the best 3-year-olds,” said Whit Beckman, the Mohawk for two eight races, Berry family races and Kaleta races.
“I don't think (the dirt) will be a problem for him,” said Walden about the last gambit. “He now has the maturity to handle something else.”
According to O'Rourke, the jury is still not whether the last gambit is running in the derby.
“At the moment everything is on the table, there are a lot of discussions to have,” said O'Rourke. “Ultimately, the horse answers the questions with how he trains. Trainer like Brad have a feeling for what the horses can do and what. We will make the experts make these decisions. Obviously we will also speak and see what they want to do. Today is a substantial step of what he has taken in the future.”
Connections in the trophy presentation after the last victory of Gambit in the Jeff Ruby Steaks
If he can handle the dirt, the distance should not be a problem. The Homebred for Juddmonte comes from Taylor Hengst 'Top -Vater Not this time from the Carpet mare Pachinko . Pachinko won once in nine starts in a career that was crossed between Europe and Kentucky.
“Not this time is an emerging stallion that has shown that he can upgrade his mares a lot,” said O'Rourke. “(Final Gambit) is also not made of a tapite mare gives him the endurance. Probably not a little speed from this time, the endurance of (tapit) and a bit of class from the Juddmonte families. That was a winning formula today.”
Macado said he was confident that the last gambit could deal with both the surface and the distance.
“He lost a lot of soil even though I didn't try. I think ((the 1 1/4 miles of the Kentucky Derby) will not be a problem,” said Machado. “I will (in the morning) climb and see (how he deals with dirt). I see no reason for him not to like it.”
