Catalina Red Sprints to Churchill Downs Win
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Catalina Red leads the way home in the Churchill Downs Stakes.
Catalina Red, who tried two turns in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (gr. III) without success last year, returned to sprinting and found his best stride in winning the $500,000 Churchill Downs Stakes presented by TwinSpires (gr. II) May 7 on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) undercard.
The 4-year-old colt covered the seven furlongs in 1:20.79 under Javier Castellano, besting Calculator by a length.
Catalina Red, making his first start for trainer Jorge Navarro, is a son of Munnings —Lovely Dream, by Freud , owned by Anthony Lenci and bred in Florida by France and Irwin Weiner. Last season he took the Jackson Bend at Gulfstream Park and this year scored in the Sprint Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, both restricted to Florida-breds. In 2014 he scored in the Pasco Stakes and the Inaugural Stakes at Tampa Bay. The Churchill Downs is his first graded stakes score.
Limousine Liberal popped the gate and took the early lead inside Holy Boss and favorite Speightster, the latter undefeated in three starts prior to the Churchill Downs. Limousine Liberal ran the first quarter in :22.24 and the half in :44.64. Off the turn, however, Holy Boss wrested the lead from Limousine Liberal with the winner pressing five-wide on the outside after being roused through the bend. Catalina Red hit the six-furlong mark in 1:08.37 and then had to hold off the charge of Calculator to his outside late.
"It worked out perfectly for me, it was a good set-up with the two horses showing speed early," said Castellano. "When I asked him, he really took off."
Added Navarro, "I've only been training this horse for a month. (Former strainer) Chad Stewart did a fabulous job with him. He trained great for this race."
The winner held off Calculator in second and a late-running Kobe’s Back up for third. Next came Salutos Amigos, Holy Boss, Limousine Liberal, Squadron A, Speightster, and Barbados.
Catalina Red was sent off at odds of 14-1 and returned $30.20 to win. He has won half his 10 starts and $470,000.