Necker Island Captures First Stakes in Bet on Sunshine
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Photo: Coady Photography
Necker Island (rail) wins the Bet on Sunshine Stakes by a head at Churchill Downs
The Scherr Boys' Necker Island , who finished ninth in last year's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), narrowly prevailed in a three-horse photo finish in the $300,000 Bet on Sunshine Stakes Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs to earn his first stakes score. The 4-year-old Hard Spun colt beat Mucho by a head with Sir Alfred James another neck back in third.
Ridden by Mitchell Murrill for trainer Chris Hartman, Necker Island ran six furlongs in 1:09.22 over a fast track to give the jockey and conditioner their third win together on the 11-race program.
"We were working to getting this horse back to sprints. I knew he was sharp enough to run a big effort today," Hartman said. "Mitch gave him an exceptional ride and he really showed a great effort."
Necker Island has proven fruitful for owner Wayne Scherr, who with other partners claimed the chestnut for $100,000 June 13, 2020, at Churchill. In his very next start, Necker Island was third in the Indiana Derby (G3) and followed up with another third in the Runhappy Ellis Park Derby before racing in the Kentucky Derby.
Saturday, Sir Alfred James and Rough Entry battled for the early lead in the field of eight through a first quarter-mile in :21.66 as Necker Island raced in fifth along the inside. Necker Island had to check in entering the turn as Sir Alfred James and Mucho left the turn vying for the lead in :45.01. He continued to race along the rail, wore down those rivals, and got up at the wire.
"I saw there was a lot of speed in this race so I wanted to let my horse settle," Murrill said. "He settled very well up the backside and I had a lot of horse turning for home. I'm really proud of his effort and the Hartman team did a great job getting him ready."
Necker Island returned $9.40 for a $2 win ticket Saturday. Behind Mucho and Sir Alfred James, Bango, Long Weekend, and Atoka completed the order of finish.
The race was spoiled by an incident on the turn when Vertical Threat , ridden by Adam Beschizza, and Rough Entry, with Brian Hernandez Jr. up, fell. Both jockeys walked to the onsite ambulance and were examined onsite by EMTs. Rough Entry was corralled by the outriders and, according to the Equibase chart, walked off. Vertical Threat was vanned off. MyRacehorse, which co-owned Vertical Threat with Slam Dunk Racing, later shared via Twitter that the horse had passed away.
The Bet on Sunshine was Necker Island's third win in seven starts this year. Overall, he holds a record of 5-1-4 in 18 starts and has earned $565,532.
Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Necker Island is out of the Mr. Greeley mare Jenny's Rocket. The mare delivered her sixth foal this year, a Ghostzapper colt, and was bred to Justify for 2022.