LEXINGTON, Ky.—In the Ben Ali, Scalding roared past favored Warrant at the top of the stretch, opened a daylight advantage and had enough left in the tank to hold off Dynamic One.
Trained by Shug McGaughey and ridden by Javier Castellano, Scalding completed the mile and an eighth on a fast main track in 1:50.30.
The victory is the second in the race for McGaughey, who won with Parading in 2009, and the fifth in the race for Castellano. The jockey’s other victories came with Rated R Superstar in 2018, Protonico in 2015, Exhi in 2011 and Wanderin Boy in 2006.
Cowboy Diplomacy and Mighty Heart led the field through early fractions of :23.72 and :47.71 with Warrant tracking in third and Scalding and Proxy racing a joint fourth another couple of lengths back.
On the far turn, Cowboy Diplomacy backed out of things leaving Mighty Heart and Warrant at the front but Scalding was coming with a three-wide move that propelled him to the front turning for home.
Now a perfect-four-for-four in two-turn races, Scalding is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Nyquist out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Hot Water. A winner of four consecutive races including the Challenger (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs in his previous start and owning a 6-4-1-0 record, Scalding has earned $306,150 including Saturday’s check of $181,350.
Scalding returned $12.20, $6.20 and $4.20. Dynamic One, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., returned $6.20 and $3.40 and finished 1¾ lengths in front of Proxy, who paid $2.80 to show under Brian Hernandez Jr.
It was another nose back to Warrant, who was followed in order by Tartufo, Mighty Heart and Cowboy Diplomacy.
Quotes from the $300,000 Ben Ali (G3)
Javier Castellano (winning rider of Scalding)
“I like the way my horse did it today. He broke not too sharp, but (he put me in) the place to keep track of those two horses in the lead, and he made a little sweeping move. I liked the way he finished. I really like the horse. I followed this horse since he started. (Trainer) Shug (McGaughey) did a really good job, and I thank Shug and all the owners for the opportunity to ride the horse. I’m glad we got it done today.”
Anthony Hamilton (assistant to winning trainer Shug McGaughey)
“(Shug said) just to let him break and run his race. He’d been training really well through the Challenger (Stakes-G3 at Tampa Bay Downs March 12) and he came out of that really good, so we were expecting a big effort and we got one.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. (rider of runner-up Dynamic One)
“I got a great trip. I had a decent pace in front of me. He did everything right. I kind of waited a little longer than I wanted to. It was a good effort.”
Brian Hernandez Jr. (rider of third-place finisher Proxy)
“We had a good trip. We were tucked inside the pocket and were able to save ground around both turns. The winner had a little more of a punch turning for home. My horse is more of a grinder; he grinded it out and picked up a piece of (the purse.)”
Keeneland Press Release
Photo: Scalding (inside yellow cap) with Javier Castellano up holds off Warrant with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for the win. (Coady Photography)
