Next Continues Dominance in Greenwood Cup
Image:
Description:
Photo: Barbara Weidl/EQUI-PHOTO
Next romps home in the Greenwood Cup at Parx Racing
Even Tropical Storm Ophelia couldn't stop the Next train in the Sept. 23 Greenwood Cup (G3) at Parx Racing. The ivory-colored gelding soared to his third consecutive stakes victory in emphatic fashion for owner Michael Foster and trainer William Cowans.
Taking command early, the 5-year-old son of Not This Time paved the way through comfortable opening fractions before distancing himself from the field with a quarter-mile left run. The 1-5 post-time favorite hit the wire a whopping 25 lengths in front in a final time of 2:33 1/5 on a sloppy sealed surface.
Next returned $2.60 for a $2 win ticket.
My Imagination , dismissed at 84-1, completed the exacta while Ridin With Biden finished third.
* Next was claimed by Cowans for $62,500 last April at Keeneland from trainer Wesley Ward. He has won six of eight starts since the claim.
* The $200,000 Greenwood Cup was Next's fourth win over 1 1/2 miles or longer.
* Jockey Luan Muchado has ridden Next in his last six starts. The pair have teamed up to win five races together.
What They Said
“It was the same plan as always today: get him in a rhythm and once in his rhythm, I think he does his thing. I didn’t care if he went to the lead or sat third, whatever he needed to do, as long as he got in his rhythm. He broke sharp. He is awful tough to beat because he has so much stamina. He’ll keep running and running," -William Cowans