Awesome Act wins the 2010 Gotham Stakes

March 6, 2010

The New York road to the Triple Crown begins with the $250,000 Gotham Stakes (G3), a 1 1/16 mile trip over the inner dirt track at Aqueduct. European invader Awesome Act was sent off as the 5-2 favorite in the field of 10, unraced since finishing fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. In to challenge him included 7-2 second choice Yawanna Twist, undefeated in two starts and making his stakes debut, and 9-2 third choice Wow Wow Wow, shipping in from Oaklawn Park off an allowance win after disappointing in 8th in the Smarty Jones Stakes.

Wow Wow Wow went to the front first time past the stands and set quick early fractions of 22.85 and 46.60 over the fast track while as many as 1 1/2 lengths in front of Peppi Knows and Three Day Rush. Favorite Awesome Act was unhurried back in 6th about 5 lengths off the pace. On the far turn, both Wow Wow Wow and Peppi Knows tired from the fast pace and faded from contention, allowing Three Day Rush to briefly gain the lead through 6 furlongs in 1:11.90. However, Awesome Act was just hitting his best stride, going 4 wide into the stretch to pass tired horses to take over the lead at the 3/16 pole. He opened up a 3 length advantage in mid-stretch through a mile in 1:37.34, and easily held off late-running Yawanna Twist to win by 1 3/4 length in 1:43.85 over the fast track. It was another 1 3/4 length back to 8-1 Nacho Friend third.

Results Chart from Daily Racing Form

Awesome Act in the winner's circle

Winning trainer Jeremy Noseda said, "He handled the dirt today. You would think a horse by Awesome Again would handle the dirt. For the first time, it's all we could ask for. He's a horse that is reminding me all the time of (2004 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner) Wilko. I believed in this horse today. It was a good, solid race, but there were no graded stakes winners. It's the first hurdle out of the way, so the dream lives on.

We'll be back for the Wood Memorial. He'll stay at Belmont Park, in Steve Asmussen's barn with my team, and get ready for the Wood. We had the discussion about him possibly being a Derby horse after the Breeders' Cup. I stood up and said 'I believe I can do it from Europe.' Now he's been in America, and we can move forward. I will be going back to Newmarket, maybe I'll come in for a day and watch him train."

Awesome Act heads out for the post parade

Winning jockey Julien Leparoux said, "He just did everything perfect. He broke well and appeared to get a good position around the first turn, relaxed on the backside, and he was good. He was beyond good on the dirt; it didn't matter to him at all. He just did everything on his own, he put me in the right spots, and then he just finished very nice. I think more distance will be good."

Second place finisher Yawanna Twist

Jockey Edgar Prado said, "I'm very happy. I was right behind the winner and when the winner got through I followed him. It was the first time I had to really get in and ride him hard and I think he relaxed and took a couple strides and figured out what to do. He's a very nice horse and I'm very happy with the race."

Third place finisher Nacho Friend

8-1 shot Nacho Friend raced in fourth early under regular rider Joe Bravo, rallied on the turn to get within a head of the lead and finished well to hold third beaten 3 lengths. The Kelly Breen trainee improved his record to 1 win, 1 second, and 0 thirds in 3 starts, earning $55,300 for owners George and Lori Hall.

Wall Street Wonder wins the 2010 Toboggan Stakes

The undercard feature was the $100,000 Toboggan Stakes (G3) for older horses sprinting 6 furlongs. A field of just 5 older horses went to post, with Wall Street Wonder sent off as the 7-5 favorite off two straight wins, an allowance in December followed by the Paumonok Stakes in January. In to challenge him included 2-1 second choice Custom for Carlos, winner of the Bet On Sunshine Handicap at Churchill Downs followed by the Mr.

Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream, and 5-2 third choice Elusive Warning, an allowance winner last out after finishing fourth in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint.

Custom for Carlos on the inside and Wall Street Wonder on the outside dueled for the lead down the backstretch and around the turn through fractions of 22.76 and 45.78, with Driven by Success stalking them in third in the whole way. The pair continued to battle into the stretch, with Wall Street Wonder poking his head in front at the 1/4 pole. They battled noses apart through the lane, with Custom for Carlos poking a nose in front at the 1/16 pole, but Wall Street Wonder fought back late to get the win by a neck in 1:09.88. It was a long 5 lengths back to Driven by Success third.

Results Chart from Daily Racing Form

Wall Street Wonder in the winner's circle

Winning jockey Channing Hill said, "He's the kind of horse who will keep his head in front. Today, he got a real class test with Custom for Carlos, and he passed."
Tonja Terranova, assistant to winning trainer John Terranova added, "He'd been training super. He showed no ill effects from running so fast last time. Once he breezed last week and went tremendously, we knew that we'd run him. He has a tendency sometimes to wait on horses; I know in the last one he drew clear.

Custom for Carlos is a very nice horse and he's been battle-tested. This was a very big effort on our horse's part and we're really proud of him. The Carter is the goal now."

Second place finisher Custom for Carlos

Trainer Eddie Kenneally said, "He ran his race. We're happy with the way he performed. There are a few races coming up in the Midwest we'll focus on, but we won't make any decision now." Jockey Julien Leparoux added, "He broke well, and he didn't go too fast the first quarter, which was good. My horse is a big horse; maybe if we were on the outside we would have gained a little bit there, but he was good.

We came back on him a little bit at the end."

6-1 shot Driven by Success rated in third behind the leaders under jockey Ramon Dominguez, came out three wide for room into the stretch but lacked a significant rally, finishing third beaten 5 1/4 lengths. The Todd Pletcher trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 3 seconds, and 5 thirds in 16 starts, earning $336,619 for owner Repole Stable.

The first stakes race on Gotham day was the $65,000 Fred "Cappy" Capossela Stakes for 3-year-olds sprinting 6 furlongs on the inner dirt. Castaneda, the longest shot on the board at 6-1, quickly opened a 3 length lead down the backstretch, setting fractions of 22.67 and 45.98, and held that advantage the whole way, cruising to a 3 length victory over 3-1 third choice Strapping Groom in 1:10.48. It was another 5 1/2 lengths back to 8-5 Golden Ghost third, and 10 1/2 lengths more to 7-5 favorite Liston in last.

Winning trainer Gary Contessa said, "It was not my thought to come into this race, but when we heard it was going to be a light field, we decided to enter. This horse has just found himself sprinting. He's a good horse and a New York-bred as well. He probably could use a little time off after this race, but he might be Bay Shore material. We'll see."

Results Chart from Daily Racing Form