Wolfie's Dynaghost a Dogged Victor in Kentucky Cup
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Photo: Coady Photography
Wolfie's Dynaghost wins the Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes at Turfway Park
On a breezy spring afternoon March 25 at Turfway Park, it was Wolfie's Dynaghost who outran nine rivals to come home the victor in the $299,600 Kentucky Cup Classic.
Under Hall of Famer Johnny Velazquez, the 5-year-old gelded son of Ghostzapper was comfortably into second as Two Birds took the early lead in the 1 1/8-mile race in :23.74. Not long after, Wolfie's Dynaghost began his move and captured the lead, setting fractions of :48.62, 1:12.37, and 1:37.40. Once in the stretch, he drew off to reach the wire in 1:50.09 with 2 1/4 lengths to spare on on Turfway's Tapeta surface.
Verstappen finished second with King Cause in third. Favored Santin stumbled at the gate but recovered to nab fourth.
Wolfie's Dynaghost ($7.08), a half brother to grade 1 turf horse Sadler's Joy , improved his record to 7-2-4 from 19 starts and earnings to $586,805. The Jonathan Thomas trainee is now 3-for-3 on synthetic tracks.
"It was pretty easy. He went forward the way we thought he was going to be," Velazquez said. "It was a nice rhythm, when I asked him to run, he was there for me.
"Jonathan told me he was training really well, just let him do his thing...We're going to win."
The homebred for Woodslane Farm, Wolfie's Dynaghost was bred in Kentucky out of the Dynaformer mare Dynaire , who has six winners from eight foals to race.