Special Reserve Holds Off Late Challenge to Win Phoenix
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Special Reserve wins the Phoenix Stakes at Keeneland
Strong favorite Special Reserve ran to punters' expectations Oct. 8, taking the $250,000 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G2) on opening day of the Keeneland fall meet and earning a spot in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) next month at Del Mar.
Paradise Farms and David Staudacher's 5-year-old gelded son of Midshipman broke from the gate as the 3-5 favorite on the strength of four wins and two seconds from six starts this year. His previous three starts, all in stakes, produced Equibase Speed Figures above 110 and included wins in the Maryland Sprint Match Series Stakes (G3) and Iowa Sprint Stakes and a second in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1).
Special Reserve with jockey Joel Rosario broke sharpest in the Phoenix, but they were quickly passed by longshot Quick Tempo and rider Sophie Doyle, who took the field through early fractions of :21.90 and :44.69. As the leaders rounded the turn in the six-furlong test, Special Reserve eased to the front and began pulling away.
Stout second-choice Aloha West , whose odds collapsed to 8-5 at the bell, however, launched a furious rally at the top of the stretch and appeared to cover two lengths for every one of Special Reserve's. Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' 4-year-old son of Hard Spun closed from sixth in the seven-horse field to finish a neck behind Special Reserve. He ran his final quarter in :23.09 compared with :23.81 for Special Reserve.
"He broke really well, and it looked like (Doyle on Quick Tempo) came up right away, and he was fine with that," said Rosario. "He kind of settled a little bit there, nice and quiet, and then in the turn when the horse was backing up a little bit, he was just ready to go."
Special Reserve's trainer Mike Maker said he did get concerned when Aloha West started closing.
"I was thinking 'wire, wire.' He didn't have another horse to keep his attention, so I was a little worried he'd get run down," Maker said. The trainer did add he believes Special Reserve belongs in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.
"I do believe that. I have a lot of faith in the horse," he said.
Watch: Maker Said a Plan Came Together for Special Reserve
Jose Ortiz, the rider on Aloha West, said he hopes the colt goes on to the Sprint as well.
"If they take him to the Breeders' Cup, he has a good shot to win the race. When we got to the quarter pole, I thought he (could win)," Ortiz said. "The winner is a nice horse. He ran a good race; we were second best."
Trainer Wayne Catalano indicated that Aloha West would go to Del Mar.
"He ran well. He ran hard," the trainer said.
Special Reserve was bred in Kentucky in the name of Russell L. Reineman Stables out of the unplaced Hard Spun mare Love Spun, who is half sister to grade 1-placed, grade 3 winner Original Spin (Distorted Humor ) and grade 3-placed stakes winner Humor At Last (Distorted Humor). Love Spun was sold for $6,500 to Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm by Nardelli Sales at the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in foal to Midshipman.
Mapleton Thoroughbred Farm has a yearling full brother to Special Reserve and a weanling half brother by Cowtown Cat , who stands at the Ohio farm. Love Spun was bred back to Cowtown Cat this year.