Hop Kat Skips to Victory in Sunday’s Gulfstream Feature

April 28, 2020

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Homewrecker Stable Inc.’s Hop Kat skipped over the sloppy track at Gulfstream Park Sunday, scoring a length victory in the Race 10 feature to remain undefeated in two career starts.

Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Hop Kat was coming off an 11-month layoff after breaking his maiden by eight lengths at Churchill Downs last May.

Hop Kat ($7.20) saved ground while tracking the pacesetters along the backstretch and on the turn into the stretch before shaking clear at the top of the stretch and edging away to a comfortable victory.

“I thought it was a great effort today. He’d only had the one effort under his belt. He broke fast that day, went quick and just ran away from them. So, I was a little worried how much he got out of that race and coming off the layoff, but Eddie had him 100 percent ready today,” jockey Tyler Gaffalione said. “I had an easy job, just kind of steer him around there, but, man, I really liked the way he ran today. He finished up well, galloped out strong, and I’m looking forward to him down the road.

The 3-year-old son of Stay Thirsty ran seven furlongs in 1:10.71 to capture the first-level allowance for 3-year-olds and up.

Double Crown (Bourbon Courage), who was making his first start for trainer Kathy Ritvo since winning his debut at Laurel in September, closed from far back to finish second, a neck ahead of third-place finisher Herbert Miller-trained Jake Rocks (New Year’s Day), who set the pace into the stretch.

Edited Press Release 

Photo: Hop Kat’s maiden win at Churchill Downs May 17, 2019. Credit: Coady Photography

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