Emmanuel Remains a Perfect 2-for-2 After Tampa Win
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Photo: SV Photography
Emmanuel draws away to win a Jan. 30 allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs
WinStar Farm and Siena Farm's Emmanuel ran to his lofty 1-5 odds Jan. 30 at Tampa Bay Downs, cruising to the wire a fashionable winner of a one-mile-and-40-yard allowance optional claiming contest to remain undefeated in two starts.
Emmanuel dictated the pace from the three path, cruising through easy fractions of :25.03 and :49.88 before kicking away from his opposition around the final turn. The Mark Casse-trained Glider put up a fair fight from the inside but Emmanuel was simply too much in the final final furlong, spurting clear by 4 1/2 lengths at the wire.
The Todd Pletcher trainee was ridden by jockey Pablo Morales and was timed in 1:40.24 on a fast main track.
"Just a class horse. I felt like I had so many gears underneath me," Morales said after the race. "Every time I would just move a hair, (Emmanuel) would take off a little bit more and just do it easily. He felt (Glider) coming on the inside down the lane, so I decided to give him a little bit of a hand ride and I could feel him extending more and more.
"He just did it easy—it felt like a workout for him. He acts like an older horse who has run 100 times and he gives you what you ask out of him. I'm thankful I was considered to ride him. It was a pleasure."
The 3-year-old son of More Than Ready had been previously entered Jan. 7 at Tampa Bay Downs but was scratched after spiking a fever. He returned to the work tab about a week later and clocked two bullet works in succession at Palm Beach Downs in preparation for his effort Sunday.
In last week's second pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, Emmanuel closed at 17-1 odds off his dazzling debut victory Dec. 11 at Gulfstream Park.
"I'm very pleased with the way he handled the two turns," Pletcher said via text message to the Tampa Bay Downs media team. "We will keep all options open for his next start."
Pletcher added that the Feb. 12 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) would be too soon to bring him back, but Tampa Bay Downs racing office officials will be working overtime to land him for the March 12 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2).
Bred by Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust, Emmanuel was sold to Maverick Racing, the buying arm of WinStar, for $350,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the Gainesway consignment. His dam, the Hard Spun mare Hard Cloth, is a half sister to group/grade 1 winners Hawkbill and Free Drop Billy .