Kimari dusts out-classed field in Bolton Landing
SARATOGA SPRINGS >> There may be no such thing as a sure thing in horse racing, especially in a race where most of the participants have made only one start. Kimari, the prohibitive 1-5 favorite in Wednesday’s $100,000 Bolton Landing Stakes, however, may have been the closest thing to it.
The 2-year-old Munnings filly, whose running lines show a 15-length maiden win and an agonizing head loss in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes versus 25 rivals at Royal Ascot, let a couple of horses think they were in with a chance for the first twothirds of the race before taking over in the stretch. A lead that was at most a length at the 3/16ths pole became two lengths at the stretch call and four at the finish as the Wesley Ward trainee ran away from the out-classed field.
“She had been training really well,” said Ollie Sangster, assistant to Ward. “She showed us [today] what we had always seen. We were a bit disappointed to get beat at Ascot, but they had a lot of rain, which wasn’t to her liking. But she still ran a big race. She showed us what she was made of today.”
Kimari won the tussle for the early lead, taking a one-length advantage over Abscond into the turn. The latter made another run at the favorite late on the turn but was not able to sustain it once the field straightened out. The winning time for 5½ furlongs over “firm” going was 1:01.43. Abscond held second by a length over Champagne Humor. Vast, Classy Sadie and Persian Queen also ran.
“She broke well, and going to the eighth pole, she did it easy,” said winning jockey John Velazquez, who had accompanied Kimari to England in June. “The blinkers off relaxed her a bit, which was helpful. In the lane, she just went on and finished strong. She came from a really tough race at Ascot, and she was ready today.”
Kimari, who races for Ten Broeck Farm Inc, has two wins in three starts and has earned $121,646.