Factor This Sets Another Track Record in Muniz
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Photo: Hodges Photography / Lou Hodges, Jr.
Factor This wins the Muniz Memorial Classic at Fair Grounds Race Course
Factor This was once again a factor from start to finish as he grabbed the early lead and never looked back in posting a three-length victory in the $300,000 Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2T) March 21 for a second straight graded stakes win in track-record time at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Following the same formula that netted him a front-running, track-record win for trainer Brad Cox in the Feb. 15 Fair Grounds Stakes (G3T), Gaining Ground Racing's 5-year-old son of The Factor won for the ninth time in 28 starts and increased his earnings to $725,030.
Ridden perfectly by Shaun Bridgmohan, Factor This carved out fractions of :47.94 and 1:11.46 while leading at each call and had enough speed in reserve to remain in front by a clear margin in the stretch while extending his margin slightly in the final furlong.
"He ran his eyes out," Bridgmohan said. "He made me look good."
Factor This covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.21 on firm turf. That shaded his previous track record of 1:47.29 in the Fair Grounds Stakes.
"That was a big performance," Cox said. "He loves this course. Given all that's going on now we'll probably back off him a little bit and give him a break and get him ready hopefully for some things in the late spring or summer."
Sent off 9-1 odds in the field of 12, The Factor paid $21 to win in giving Cox his second win in the Muniz.
Out of the Singspiel mare Capricious Miss, Factor This was bred by Maccabee Farm and was bought by Danny Chen for $11,000 from the Niall Brennan Stables consignment at the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. He originally went to Captain America Racing for $2,700 from Maccabee's consignment at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
He is the lone graded stakes winner from Capricious Miss' four foals.
AJ Suited Racing Stable's Dontblamerocket rallied along the inside to take second. The 6-year-old Blame gelding trained by Norm Casse was three-quarters of a length ahead of Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, Wonder Stables, Michael Kisber, and Bethlehem Stables' Rockemperor. Trained by Chad Brown, the 4-year-old son of Holy Roman Emperor rallied wide from ninth to grab the show spot in his first race since August.
The favored Synchrony, who was bidding for a second win in the Muniz, was fifth, while Instilled Regard, the 2-1 favorite, was sixth.