Strapping Groom Much the Best in Gravesend

Strapping Groom won the Gravesend Handicap convincingly on Saturday at Aqueduct. (Photo courtesy of NYRA/Joa Labozzetta)
By Claire Novak
Strapping Groom made short work of a short field and drew away to win by 6 1/2 lengths in the $98,000 Gravesend Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack on Dec. 21.
The 6-year-old Johannesburg runner pressed a pace set by 30-1 shot Abra, put that one away handily coming down off the turn, and headed home under confident handling from jockey Junior Alvarado.
Although he carried top assignment of 121 in the six-furlong Gravesend, grade I winner Strapping Groom was getting a 14-pound break from his previous assignment of 135 pounds, which he toted in the Nov. 28 Fall Highweight Handicap when finishing second to Palace by 1 1/2 lengths.
That rival was the 3-5 favorite in a field of five older runners in the Gravesend off victories in three straight stakes, but finished a well-distanced second. After Abra led through a quarter in :22.21 and a half in :45.83, Strapping Groom took over from the two path and widened the distance through five-eighths in :57.58 to finish in 1:09.74 on a good track.
It was Strapping Groom's first win for Drawing Away Stable and David Jacobson since he upset the Aug. 31 Forego Stakes at odds of 15-1 at Saratoga Race Course. He was third in the Vosburgh Invitational in September and fourth in the Bold Ruler Handicap in October before his runner-up finish in the Fall Highweight. He was claimed by his current connections on May 24 at Belmont Park for $35,000, and also won the Lion Cavern and Kid Russell overnight stakes this summer.
Strapping Groom returned $5.40, $2.50, and $2.10 as the 8-5 second choice, while Palace brought $2.10 and $2.10 and Abra paid $3.60. Broad Rule and Battier completed the order of finish; Frazil scratched.
Bred in Kentucky by Kinsman Farm out of the Silver Deputy mare Something Silver, Strapping Groom improved his record to 9-6-2 from 26 starts with earnings of $796,713.
For an Equibase chart, click here.