Hello Hot Rod Prevails in Jimmy Winkfield
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Hello Hot Rod (rail) holds off Return the Ring at the wire in the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
Hello Hot Rod dug in gamely to best Return the Ring by a head in the $97,000 Jimmy Winkfield Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores Jan. 31 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained and co-owned by Brittany Russell with Dark Horse Racing, the Mosler colt made a victorious stakes debut while running his win streak to three following a pair of scores at his Laurel Park base, including a last-out allowance optional-claiming win Dec.13.
Jockey Trevor McCarthy, aboard Hello Hot Rod for the first time from the inside post, revved up the engines out of the gate and angled his colt out a few paths to set the opening quarter-mile in :23.86 on the fast main track.
Return the Ring, under Dylan Davis, and the Kendrick Carmouche-piloted Pico d'Oro took up stalking positions outside of Hello Hot Rod as the half-mile ticked by in :48.16. Hello Hot Rod continued to lead through the turn as Carmouche attempted a wide bid with Pico d'Oro outside of the well-rated Return the Ring.
Davis asked Return the Ring for his best out of the turn and hooked up with a stubborn Hello Hot Rod, who continued to find more. Pico d'Oro rallied in vain down the center of the track but was always third best as Hello Hot Rod, briefly headed by Return the Ring, pinned his ears and refused to be denied a narrow win in a final time of 1:26.30. The winner returned $4.80 for a $2 win ticket.
Return the Ring completed the exacta by a half-length over Pico d'Oro. Scotch Rock's and Magnificent Chrome rounded out the order of finish. Weyburn was scratched.
Trevor McCarthy returns with Hello Hot Rod after winning the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
McCarthy, who picked up the mount from the trainer's husband, Sheldon Russell, said Hello Hot Rod fought bravely for the win.
"Sheldon told me that he's game as can be, he'll give you a hundred percent and he likes to fight," said McCarthy. "When he hooks one, he'll keep giving, and that's what he did today. Thank you to Brittany and Sheldon, it's good to win one for good friends.
"(Return the Ring) kind of came back on again, so a big effort by the other horse. I think (Hello Hot Rod) got more involved. When the other horse got in front he said, 'No thanks, you're not beating me.'"
The Eddie Barker-trained Return the Ring entered from a debut maiden win sprinting six furlongs Nov. 28 at the Big A and Davis said the added furlong may have been his undoing.
"He actually got in front for a little bit the last part, but the last four, five jumps before the wire, that seven-eighths was getting to him a little bit," said Davis. "He ran a great race and stepped up. He added a little more distance. He was trying really hard. Eddie did a great job getting him here."
Bred in Maryland by Hillwood Stables out of the Tiznow mare Hello Now, Hello Hot Rod is a half brother to the Russell-trained multiple stakes-winning filly Hello Beautiful (Golden Lad ). Hello Now is also dam of the unraced 2-year-old colt Surprise Hello (Golden Years) and was reported bred back to Golden Lad for 2021.
Russell, who purchased the Hello Hot Rod with Dark Horse Racing for $10,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale, said she's looking forward to testing the colt's stamina.
"I don't think stretching out would be an issue," said Russell. "We considered other spots going further in distance, but this looked like a good spot to get the year started. It's nice to win another one with him and use it as a steppingstone to other things."
Hello Hot Rod has banked $113,941 after improving his record to 3-1-0 in four starts.