Far Mo Power (inside) crosses the wire first in the Parx Dirt Mile (EQUI-PHOTO)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Joseph E. Sutton’s multiple stakes-placed Pennsylvania-bred Far Mo Power will make his first start outside of Parx Racing in Saturday’s $125,000 Stymie, a one-turn mile for older horses at Aqueduct.
Trained by Louis Linder, Jr., the 5-year-old son of Uncle Lino bested multiple Grade 1-winner Mind Control by a neck in the Parx Dirt Mile in September only to be disqualified and placed second for interference late in the lane.
Sent to post at odds of 12-1 under regular pilot Dexter Haddock, Far Mo Power set splits of 24.06 seconds, 47.54 and 1:11.50 over the fast main track before Mind Control, who tracked from second under Hall of Famer John Velazquez, put a head in front at the eighth pole with an outside move. A game Far Mo Power battled back but drifted out under left-handed encouragement, crossing the wire a neck in front in a final time of 1:36.59. Following a stewards’ inquiry and a claim of foul, Far Mo Power was disqualified and placed second.
Linder, Jr. said he was proud of the tenacious effort from Far Mo Power.
“He’s a fighter and they had a five-sixteenths of a mile shoulder-to-shoulder duel in that race,” Linder, Jr. said. “He was better than Mind Control that day by a neck and unfortunately the stewards got involved, but things happen.”
Linder, Jr. said Far Mo Power’s Parx Dirt Mile effort demonstrated the gelding could handle himself in open company.
“We knew he would run good. Obviously, you don’t go in there thinking you can beat Mind Control, but that showed me that maybe there’s something for him in tougher places like New York,” Linder, Jr. said. “It’s his first time traveling and off Lasix, so there’s a few question marks, but it is what it is.”
Far Mo Power, who boasts a record of 12-6-3-1, exited that effort to finish off-the-board after a troubled trip in the M. P. Ballezzi Appreciation Mile on October 18.
Linder, Jr. said he second guessed his decision to run back Far Mo Power one more time after his strong outing against Mind Control.
“We took a shot because it was a good distance for him, but he just had a horrible trip,” Linder, Jr. said. “Off of that, I told the owner we should let him tell us when he’s ready to run and that’s what we did and he came back just as strong as ever.”
Far Mo Power returned three months later to post an open-company allowance win on January 30 in which last year’s Grade 2 Kelso Handicap-winner, Double Crown, finished third.
“I can’t be more pleased with his effort there and how he came out of it,” Linder, Jr. said. “He’s right where we need him to be.”
Far Mo Power has breezed back once, covering five-eighths in 1:01.73 over the Parx dirt on February 15.
“He’s an easy horse to train, but he’s a little hard to keep weight on,” Linder, Jr. said. “What we’ve been doing has been working, so we don’t worry about training him too hard. He had a five-eighths work well within himself and he came out of it aces. It’s really all he needs.”
Far Mo Power has been piloted through all 12 career starts by Dexter Haddock, who engineered a pair of upset stakes scores here with Forewarned in the 2021 Queens County [$86] and last year’s Excelsior [$11.40 as the third choice in a four-horse field.]
“Dexter was trying to get in my barn at the time when he was a young horse and we let him help out,” Linder, Jr. said. “He gradually worked his way in and stayed on him the whole time because he got along good with him.”
Linder, Jr. said he is hopeful that Haddock can work out a stalking trip from post 2 for Far Mo Power.
“As long as we’re within 4-to-5 lengths out and he’s eyeing them and not left with too much to do to go and get them,” Linder, Jr. said. “He’s very versatile – if you ask him to go, he’s going.”
Linder, Jr. said Bran Jam Stable and David W. Clark’s stakes-placed Kentucky-bred Daydreaming Boy spiked a temperature following his last out fourth-place finish in the Jimmy Winkfield on February 11 at the Big A with Haddock in the irons.
“I was really disappointed because I really thought we’d be right there with them,” Linder, Jr. said. “Dexter said the horse was very dull for him. The next day he didn’t eat and had a 103 temperature, so we’ll let him tell us when he’s ready again.”
The sophomore Goldencents colt graduated at second asking at Parx and followed with a runner-up effort in the six-furlong Future Stars won by Howgreatisnate, who is targeting next Saturday’s Grade 3 Gotham here. Daydreaming Boy was fourth in the Parx Juvenile on January 3 won by another potential Gotham starter in Recruiter.
Daydreaming Boy, a half-sibling to stakes-winner New Boss, is out of the Corinthian mare Denali Dreamscape, who is a half-sister to graded-stakes placed Sophia’s Song and multiple stakes-winner Tax Refund.
“There’s more upside to him,” Linder, Jr. said. “He’s still filling out in his body and putting on muscle. We’ll let him tell us when he’s ready.”
