Nucky Scores by Daylight in Rough Del Mar Futurity
Image:
Description:
Photo: Benoit Photo
Nucky wins Del Mar Futurity Sept. 2
Del Mar closing day went out with a bang Sept. 2, with a little more action than anticipated livening up the opening moments of the $300,000 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1).
The first moments of the seven-furlong sprint were hairy ones as 1-2 favorite Eight Rings ducked in sharply in the first eighth of a mile, unseating jockey Drayden Van Dyke in the process. Flavien Prat, who was aboard Storm the Court, made contact with Eight Rings in the fall, lost his balance, and was unseated as well.
Despite the Sturm und Drang of the initial strides, Rockingham Ranch's Nucky proved unbothered and confidently led the field home off the final turn, opening up in the final strides to upset the race by 2 3/4 lengths.
With the rest of the field unscathed by the incident with Eight Rings and Storm the Court, it was Garth who found an early opening just off the rail and took command, ticking off fractions of :21.89 and :44.90 for the half-mile.
Ginobili skimmed the rail to edge Garth as they entered the turn. Out of gas, Garth yielded to the new leader and dropped back, allowing Nucky to angle further in from the outside and challenge Ginobili.
Dueling neck-and-neck at the top of the lane, Nucky, ridden by Norberto Arroyo Jr., drifted inward again and bumped briefly with Ginobili. Undeterred by the impact, Nucky dug in and opened up his lead, crossing the wire in 1:25.52.
Never a real threat to win, Peter Miller stablemate Wrecking Crew got up to take second a half length over Defense Wins in third. A claim of foul was lodged by trainer Richard Baltas following the race, who believed Nucky had interfered with his horse, fourth-place finisher Ginobili, at the top of the stretch. No changes were made to the order of finish following a review by the stewards.
"What a way to end the meet," said Arroyo Jr. "I don't deserve this. But somebody wanted me to have it. I thank the Lord up above. My aim was to track the No. 2 horse (favored Eight Rings). My horse broke good and I was looking for the No. 2. By the 4 1/2 (furlong pole) I couldn't see him (the No. 2) at all and I knew something must have happened. Then I just went to riding my horse. He responded well. I don't know if he was the best horse in the race to start, but he was the best to finish. He responded well at the end."
Fore Left took fifth, 9 3/4 lengths in front of Garth to complete the order.
Sent off at post-time odds of 35-1, Nucky returned $72 to win, $26 to place, and $13.40 to show on a $2 wager.
"It was obviously unfortunate," Miller said. "You never want to see any horse or rider go down. My first thoughts are with the horses and the riders. I don't know what happened, but after that, we won clear. I wasn't worried (about the inquiry). They bumped slightly, but the No. 4 (Ginobili) was tiring. To finish 1-2 in the Del Mar Futurity, for me, I mean it's just incredible under any circumstances."
Both Eight Rings and Storm the Court were captured by outriders and declared unharmed following an examination by Del Mar veterinarians. Prat walked away from the incident under his own power and returned to win the final race of the day aboard Zee Drop. Van Dyke was escorted to the nearby Scripps Hospital in La Jolla for examination as a precautionary measure.
Bred in Kentucky by Barry and Judith Becker, Nucky is the first foal out of the Rock Hard Ten mare Lady Ten. The mare produced a Super Saver filly March 5.
Consigned by Havens Bloodstock Agency to the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Nucky was an RNA on a final bid of $130,000. The son of Ghostzapper improved his record to 2-1-0 from five starts with earnings of $217,750.