Will Call Picks It Up in Turf Sprint
Image:
Description:
Photo: Skip Dickstein
Will Call rallies wide to win the Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs
With a strong late run while wide in the stretch, Klein Racing's Will Call got it done in Churchill Downs' $200,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by TwinSpires.com (G3T) May 4 on the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard.
The 4-year-old homebred son of Country Day completed the five furlongs in :56.68 over firm turf, after he overpowered Kid Perfect late to storm home by 1 1/4 lengths.
Klein Racing is operated by Louisville native Richard Klein, who used to race horses with his parents, Bertram and Elaine. Will Call is trained by Louisville native Brad Cox, who will saddle three horses in the Oaks.
Latent Revenge and Joe Bravo broke on top in the Turf Sprint, and were quickly joined by Restless Rambler and Riser as they sprinted down the backstretch. The opening quarter was a solid :21.92.
As the field rounded the bend, Latent Revenge held the lead over Riser and Restless Rambler, while the favorite, Vision Perfect, joined the fray. As they straightened in the lane, Vision Perfect bore out and bumped with morning-line favorite Bucchero. Will Call was wider still and started to get in gear, while Kid Perfect came with a run up the hedge after a half in :44.81.
In deep stretch Will Call, with Shaun Bridgemohan up, surged past Bucherro to get the lead. The final furlong of :11.87 iced the deal for Will Call. Kid Perfect was a neck better than Bucchero, who edged Delectation by a head. Delectation was followed by Frisky Magician, Vision Perfect, Sonic Boom, Riser, Latent Revenge, and Restless Rambler.
Ninth last time out over soft going at Keeneland in the Shakertown Stakes (G2T), Will Call paid $15.60, $7.20, and $4.20. Kid Perfect, sixth in the Shakertown after getting shut off in the lane, paid $13.40 and $7. Bucchero returned $3.80 to show.
"His last race was a throw out," Cox said. "I don't know if it was the soft turf or what, but he didn't show up."
Will Call sports a 5-1-1 mark from nine starts and is 3-1-0 in five turf sprints. The $117,800 top prize more than doubles his earnings to $232,521.
The Kleins raced Country Day, who finished second in the 2011 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T). Will Call is his first stakes winner and is out of the Klein's stakes-winning mare Vote Early, who scored in 2008 Weekend Delight Stakes at Turfway Park. Vote Early has produced five winners from six foals to race and delivered a colt by Stay Thirsty March 2.