LEXINGTON, Ky. – Jump Sucker Stable’s Slipstream took the inside route to slip past favored Twilight Gleaming (IRE) inside the eighth pole and posted a three-quarters of a length victory in the third running of the $200,000 Palisades (L) for 3-year-olds.
Trained by Christophe Clement and ridden by Joel Rosario, Slipstream covered the 51⁄2 furlongs on a turf course rated as good in 1:02.80. Rosario also won last year’s running aboard Chasing Artie.
Making her first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) at Del Mar, Twilight Gleaming quickly opened a clear advantage and led the field of seven through fractions of :22.17 and :45.73 as Slipstream raced at the back of the field.
At the head of the stretch, Twilight Gleaming drifted out toward the middle of the course while Slipstream found a seam between the rail and Pure Panic and surged through for a clear shot at the leader that proved to be the winning move.
Winner of the Futurity (G3) last fall at Belmont Park and sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), Slipstream is a Kentucky-bred son of More Than Ready out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Cake Baby.
The victory was worth $120,900 to the Keeneland sales graduate and increased Slipstream’s earnings to $288,500 with a record of 6-3-0-1.
Slipstream returned $7.40, $3 and $2.60. Twilight Gleaming returned $2.40 and $2.20 with Pure Panic finishing another 51⁄2 lengths back in third and paying $5.40 to show under Adam Beschizza.
It was another 11⁄4 lengths back to Circle Back Jack in fourth with No Nay Franklin (IRE), Classicstateofmind and Baytown Frosty following in order.
Click here for a replay of the race and the post-race interview with winning connections.
Racing resumes Wednesday with an eight-race program that begins at 1 p.m. ET.
Quotes from the $200,000 Palisades (L)
Joel Rosario (winning rider of Slipstream)
On how the race developed into the turn
“It seemed like he was fine with it. All the time I was just trying to improve my position, and he did. He was the best horse in the race.”
On seeing favored filly Twilight Gleaming [IRE] in the center of the course in the stretch
“I saw that and just tried to stay inside her, and hopefully his (Slipstream’s) best would come at the end and it did.”
Ben Colebrook (representing winning trainer Christophe Clement, who shipped Slipstream into Colebrook’s Keeneland barn)
On what Clement told him when Slipstream arrived
“He just said (Slipstream) was doing really well. (The colt) shipped in Friday and (Clement) said just to baby him until the race. We just jogged and schooled him. It was uneventful.”
On watching the race unfold from a trainer’s perspective
“(Jockey Joel Rosario) looked like he was loaded with horse. It was just whether he was going to get out, and right when you think that, it opened up and he just exploded through that hole. It was impressive and Joel did a great job.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. (rider of runner-up and favorite Twilight Gleaming [IRE], the lone filly in the race)
“I had a good trip. She always tries to drift a little bit in the stretch, but I did not want to fight her. I just let her be happy and kept riding and just got caught. I could feel (the winner) coming, but I could not fight with my filly. I just wanted her to keep moving forward.”
Wesley Ward (trainer of Twilight Gleaming)
“We will probably run one more time at Churchill (in the Mamzelle-L on May 14) before we decide about going to Ascot. We will make a decision after that. We ran as good as we could – no excuses.”
Adam Beschizza (rider of third-place finisher Pure Panic)
“He got a good trip. To be honest, I think the winner’s probably a Breeders’ Cup horse. He was a long shot. I was never going to get him (the winner). I was about 10 lengths back. There was a pretty big gap between me and second and the winner, but that’s probably the class difference. He ran good.
Keeneland Press Release
Photo: Slipstream (Coady Photography)
