Loading ...Jan 30 2016
Sunny Ridge wins slowest-ever Withers G3 at Aqueduct
Saturday, January 30, 2016
Aqueduct Race Track
Sunny Ridge held on for a stretch duel with Vorticity at Aqueduct, earning 10 more points toward the Kentucky Derby standings. Jason Servis obviously chose correctly in sending the son of Holy Bull to the Withers instead of the Holy Bull G2 today.
Sunny Ridge wins Withers G3
(Photo: Joe Labozzetta, NYRA)
Vorticity and Sunny Ridge alternated leads throughout the race, setting painfully slow fractions of 24.56, 49.81, 1.14.70, and 1.40.08 for a final time of 1.46.99 in the slowest Withers Stakes of all time. But give Sunny Ridge credit for the better late kick.
Sunny Ridge gets his first graded stakes win in the 8.5f race, after finishing 2nd in the Champagne G1 and missing by a neck while closing from far back in the Delta Jackpot G3.
The 1-2 favorite Flexibility, coming off his first stakes win after being outclosed by Holy Bull favorite Mohaymen, changed places for 3rd and 4th with Adventist throughout the race. However, with the pathetic pace, neither had a chance to close on the leaders.
On the other hand, a decent price may be available next time out for the Bluegrass Cat (2nd, 2006 Ky Derby and Belmont stakes) colt, who continues to improve for the very capable Chad Brown.
Adventist, sired by Any Given Saturday, who finished 8th in the Ky Derby 2007, delivered a solid performance for 3rd in just his 2nd lifetime race, after breaking his maiden by over 11 lengths in December at Aqueduct for Leah Gyamarti.
