Wins stakes for second consecutive year besting Rattle N Roll. (Courtney Snow/Past The Wire)
Closing Day of Keeneland Fall Meet
Bonus Photos! Thorpedo Anna on parade!
Keeneland Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. –Wathnan Racing’s Hit Show, winner of the $12 million Dubai World Cup (G1) in April, returned to Keeneland to score his second consecutive $350,000 Hagyard Fayette (G3) victory on Saturday’s closing day of the Fall Meet.
Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., the 5-year-old son of Candy Ride (ARG) drove past Dragoon Guard and held off Rattle N Roll to win by 1 length. He covered 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:50.39.
Hit Show — whose trainer, Brad Cox, finished the season with 12 wins to lead trainers — paid $9.14, $5.84 and $3.50. Rattle N Roll, ridden by Emmanuel Esquivel, returned $10.72 and $5.98. A neck behind in third were Gosger and jockey Luis Saez, who paid $2.90 to show.
Bracket Buster ran fourth and was followed by Moonlight, Honor Marie, Dragoon Guard, Best Actor, Prince of Power, Dilger (IRE) and Lambeth.
With the victory, Hit Show earned $200,725 to increase his career earnings to $8,785,183. He has won 11 races in 22 starts.
Bred in Kentucky by Gary and Mary West Stables, Hit Show is out of the Tapit mare Actress.
Quotes for the $350,000 Hagyard Fayette (G3)
Irad Ortiz Jr. (winning rider of Hit Show): “He appreciates the mile-and-an-eighth distance. He was ready to run. (Trainer) Brad (Cox) had him ready. He did a great job with the horse. I just followed his instructions. He told me to try to stay in contact with the field, so that’s what I tried to do. After that, we had a beautiful trip. The horse deserves all the credit. He’s a nice horse, and he showed up.”
Brad Cox (winning trainer): “He’s all class. I want to start by thanking the Wathnan (Racing) team (owner of Hit Show) and for allowing us to put him where he can win races and get his confidence. He’s got it. He ran big in Dubai (winning the Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline-G1 April 5) and came back. He’s been a great horse all year. I’m just very proud of the horse and his consistency. He always shows up and runs.”
Case Clay (Racing Manager of winning owner Wathnan Racing):“He really does show up every time. It wasn’t the easiest of trips. He saved ground. (Jockey) Irad (Ortiz Jr.) rode very well on him. I’m just very excited for him to be back here. I wish every horse could be like Hit Show. Hit Show is a very important horse for (owner) Wathnan (Racing). Of course, there are others around the world: Lazzat, etc., Fallen Angel. But for him to do what he did in Dubai (winning the Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline-G1 April 5) and come back over here and represent us in America means a lot, so he’s a stable favorite for sure.”
Emmanuel Esquivel (rider of runner-up Rattle N Roll): “I had a good trip, and he runs from behind, so I had no trouble. Down the lane he kind of kept floating out, and he kind of fought me a little to put him straight. And I think that might have cost me the race because he (Hit Show) was closing really hard. And with him still trying to float out, it took some of our momentum.”
Brendan Walsh (trainer of third-place finisher and beaten finisher Gosger): “He ran great first time against older horses. We’re proud of him. He ran well. He got hung very wide on the first turn. We wanted to take the race to him, and it was just unfortunate the way it turned out. Taking nothing away from the winner either, he won well — he’s a good horse. It bodes well for the future with my horse. He showed he was back today. Hopefully, he comes out good and we’ll figure out what we want to do for the winter.”
Bonus Photos!
