Dakota Gold rallies to win the Hudson Valley under Irad Ortiz, Jr. (Chelsea Durand)
By Mary Eddy – NYRA Press Office
ELMONT, N.Y.— Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s multiple stakes-winner Dakota Gold made a triumphant return to the winner’s circle with a rallying three-length score in Monday’s $125,000 Hudson Valley, a one-mile Widener turf test for older New York-breds, at Belmont Park.
The 4-year-old Freud chestnut provided conditioner Danny Gargan with his second stakes coup of the Belmont spring/summer meet after sending out Ramblin’ Wreck, a half-brother to Dakota Gold, to a win in the NYSSS Spectacular Bid on June 18. Dakota Gold won that event last year, as well as the NYSSS Cab Calloway at Saratoga Race Course and the Nownownow against open company as a juvenile at Monmouth Park ahead of a close fifth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf won by Modern Games.
“He’s a colt and he’ll get to goofing off a bit,” said Gargan. “A couple of his losses have been more him and not the jockey. When he was two, he ran in the Breeders’ Cup and he only got beat two lengths to Modern Games. With a better trip, he could’ve been third.”
Dakota Gold, ridden to victory by Irad Ortiz, Jr., exited post 2 in the seven-horse field and kept back as Jerry the Nipper and Call Me Harry broke sharpest of all. The latter was asked to take command by Manny Franco and led through an opening quarter-mile in 22.67 seconds over the firm footing.
Ruse moved into contention along the outside down the backstretch and kept Call Me Harry within striking distance, completing the half-mile in 45.67 while Ortiz, Jr. maintained three-wide position with a patient ride aboard Dakota Gold. Call Me Harry toiled into the turn and gave way to Ruse as Ortiz, Jr. angled Dakota Gold from mid-pack to race widest of all for a fully loaded run into the stretch after three-quarters in 1:09.09.
Dakota Gold stuck his head in front at the eighth pole as Jerry the Nipper attempted to split between him and the retreating Call Me Harry, but lacked room before Dakota Gold drew clear. The late-running millionaire Somelikeithotbrown made up ground with every stride, but could not reach the front in time as Dakota Gold widened his margin and crossed the wire first in a final time of 1:32.48.
Somelikeithotbrown edged Jerry the Nipper out of place honors by a neck with Hush of a Storm rounding out the superfecta. Ruse, Call Me Harry and Cold Hard Cash completed the order of finish. Senbei and main track-only entrants Bankit, Dr Ardito and Who Hoo Thats Me were scratched.
During the gallop out, Cold Hard Cash sustained an apparent cardiovascular event and collapsed and died on track. Jockey Jose Lezcano was uninjured and walked off under his own power.
Dakota Gold entered from a close third-place finish in the state-bred Kingston on May 29 where he broke a step slow and went six-wide before coming up a half-length short of the victorious City Man.
Gargan said a cleaner trip made the difference in the Hudson Valley.
“I was a little frustrated the last time he ran, but today he sat a better trip and it worked out well,” said Gargan. “Irad knows him as well as anyone. This is his third stakes win on him. He’s a quirky type of horse – some of that trouble, he causes. He can get himself in trouble. He has a little play around in his game, but he’s growing out of it. We’re really happy with him. [Owner] Dean [Reeves] is a big supporter of the New York program and it’s paid off with him to be patient with this colt.”
Ortiz, Jr., who has been aboard the colt for all three of his stakes conquests in the Empire State, said his focus has improved as he has matured.
“Mentally, he’s growing a little more. He’s much better than last year,” said Ortiz, Jr., who currently leads the Belmont spring/summer meet riding standings with 51 wins. “Last year, he would get to looking around and not knowing what he was doing. Today, he showed that he’s grown up a little bit and he’s all business right now. He’s much more straightforward.”
Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Ron Bowden, Dakota Gold banked $68,750 in victory while improving his record to 11-5-1-2. He returned $3.90 on a $2 win wager as the 4-5 mutuel favorite.
Gargan added both the restricted $135,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure on August 5 and the state-bred $200,000 West Point Handicap presented by Trustco Bank on August 27, both at Saratoga, are potential targets this summer.
“From here, we’ll probably go in the Lure, but we’ll see how he comes out of it,” said Gargan. “He could run there and then in the West Point. That gives him two starts at Saratoga.”
Hall of Fame rider Javier Castellano, aboard runner-up Somelikeithotbrown, said the Mike Maker trainee benefitted from a quick tempo.
“I like the way he finished today,” Castellano said. “There was a lot of speed in the race and they were rolling that first part of the race. I let my horse settle and find a good kick and he responded very well.”
Live racing resumes Tuesday at Belmont with a 10-race card, featuring the $125,000 Port Washington in Race 1. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.
