Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Ritvo doubles up in Carry Back
As if stablemates Double Crown and Ournationonparade don’t see enough of one another each morning around trainer Kathy Ritvo’s barn, it seems the two can’t get away from each other in the afternoon as well.
On Saturday, Double Crown and Ournationonparade will face each other for the fourth time when they take on just three others in the $75,000 Carry Back for 3-year-olds, the co-feature on Gulfstream’s 12-race card along with its filly counterpart, the $75,000 Azalea. Both races will be decided at seven furlongs.
The Carry Back originally drew a field of six, but trainer Kelsey Danner stated her intention to scratch Prince James, who drew the rail for what would have been his 2020 debut.
Neither Double Crown nor Ournationonparade were part of the Ritvo stable when they met for the first time last September at Laurel. Ournationonparade rallied to a hardfought neck decision over Double Crown, with the pair distancing themselves from the remainder of the field. Both horses were subsequently purchased privately by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and turned over to Ritvo’s care.
Double Crown was given nearly eight months off following his debut win in that Laurel race, returning April 26 to finish second over a sloppy track in a six-furlong entrylevel allowance dash at Gulfstream Park. Ournationonparade also started in the race but never finished, clipping heels and losing his rider on the turn.
The stablemates met for a third time just three weeks later in the Roar Stakes at Gulfstream, with Double Crown again coming out on top, rallying to a half-length victory over the heavily favored Green Light Go with Ournationonparade finishing fourth.
“He’s so professional, just a nice, classy horse,” Ritvo said when asked about Double Crown, who’ll carry top weight of 122 pounds under the allowance conditions of the Carry Back. “I think he’ll go long. He’s a nice enough horse that we decided to do everything right by him and give him the best opportunity to have a great career. We’re trying to give him time to develop into a good horse.”
Ournationonparade won the restricted Maryland Million Nursey at Laurel for Reeves and former trainer Bernard Houghton in his 2-year-old finale, his lone victory in six career starts. He finished 5 3/4 lengths behind Double Crown in the Roar.
“He hasn’t had the best of luck,” Ritvo said of Ournationonparade. “But he’s going into this race really well.”
With Verve finished third in the Roar and faces the Ritvo pair again Saturday. He rallied from last to upset the Hutcheson by a neck at odds of 18-1 at Gulfstream in late February. He turned in an even effort to finish fifth behind Kentucky Derby hopeful Sole Volante stretching to a mile in his most recent start.
Cajun Brother, who figures to control the pace, and Poe, idle since November, complete the Carry Back lineup.
Azalea: Boerne must be caught
Boerne will try to stretch her abundant speed to seven furlongs for the first time in the Azalea when she faces five other 3-year-old fillies, including the red-hot Don’t Get Khozy.
Boerne opened her 3-year-old campaign with three consecutive one-sided victories before getting caught up in an early speed duel and being run down late by Up in Smoke in the 6 1/2-furlong Game Face four weeks ago. She projects to be on an easy lead in the Azalea.
“I think I have been training her better for this race,” trainer Juan Avila said. “She had two good works and she had the race, and now she’s ready. I gave her more long gallops, so I didn’t breeze her. I think she will like the seven furlongs.”
Don’t Get Khozy has captured four of her last five starts, including a first-level allowance race going seven furlongs by 7 1/2 lengths with a career-best 82 Beyer Speed Figure just two weeks ago. She is one of two fillies trainer Antonio Sano entered for the Azalea along with Addilyn, a late-running third in the Game Face.
Bankruptonthebeach, Estilo Talentoso, and Compensate round out the lineup.