Are You Kidding Me Finer With Age in Third Eclipse
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Photo: Michael Burns
Are You Kidding Me holds off Melmich to win the Eclipse Stakes at Woodbine
Are You Kidding Me hasn't lost a step.
The 8-year-old son of Run Away and Hide split horses with a commanding move May 26 in the $175,000 Eclipse Stakes (G2) at Woodbine, then held off a late run from familiar rival Melmich to secure his third victory in the 1 1/16-mile Tapeta race.
Are You Kidding Me was rested by trainer Roger Attfield after a runner-up finish by a nose to Melmich in the Aug. 13 Seagram Cup Stakes (G3) and was given extra time to recover from a quarter crack. He did not resurface until a May 5 allowance, in which he defeated Melmich by two lengths for owners Michael Riordan, Ron Kirk, and John Bates.
"He trained so well in the winter," Attfield said. "I gave him a lot of time for this quarter crack, a lot more time than he really needed, but the whole idea was really to have him for the summer here. He trained so very well, I would have been surprised if he got beaten in the prep, and then he trained on well into this race. He was delighted to win it himself."
Jockey Rafael Hernandez had a loaded gun in the Eclipse with Are You Kidding Me, who raced third along the inside as Gigantic Breeze set the tempo through an opening quarter in :24.83 and a half in :49.24. Shifted off the rail to begin his bid entering the far turn through three-quarters in 1:12.73, Are You Kidding Me boldly split horses and went to work to put away the frontrunner, who dug in gamely on the inside but was outkicked. Melmich, coming with a late bid from sixth in a field of seven, put in a good effort through a 1:36.76 mile but missed by three-quarters of a length.
The final time was 1:43.14. Are You Kidding Me, the 9-5 choice, returned $5.60, $2.80, and $2.20. Melmich paid $3.50 and $2.40, while Gigantic Breeze, who held for third by three-quarters of a length, brought $3.10. The order of finish was completed by Tizzarunner, Tiz a Slam, Sir Dudley Digges, and Hollywood Critic.
"We got a good trip and saved ground," Hernandez said. "All on the backside I was loaded. I just wanted to keep holding him, but in the interest of getting a clear trip, I had to make a move early. He switched leads and just stretched his legs turning for home. He ran unbelievable."
Are You Kidding Me won his first edition of the Eclipse in 2015 and came back to win in 2016, the same seasons he reigned as Canada's champion older male. He missed another win in the race in 2017 by a neck to Dragon Bay. The bay horse also counts the 2013 Kent Stakes (G3T) on the Delaware Park lawn, the 2015 Nijinsky Stakes (G2T) over Woodbine turf, the 2015 and 2016 editions of the Autumn Stakes (G2) on Woodbine's synthetic surface, and the 2016 Durham Cup Stakes (G3), also on the all-weather track, among his wins.
Are You Kidding Me was bred in Kentucky by Bates, Kirk, Greg McDonald & Riordan, and Shaw & Sones. Out of the Street Cry mare Sweet Awakening, he has a 999912-7-7 record from 38 starts, good for earnings of $1,191,536.