Restrainedvengence Surges Late to Take Oceanside
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Restrainedvengence hits the front late to win the Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar
Kelly Brinkerhoff and Bob Grayson Jr.'s Restrainedvengence didn't show much in the first two stakes starts of his career, but something clicked July 18 at Del Mar in the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes.
Although he's been tough to handle during races at times, including a pair of seventh-place finishes in the 2017 Zuma Beach Stakes and the May 5 Singletary Stakes, Restrainedvengence relaxed well in fifth for much of the one-mile turf race, swung five wide turning home, and showed a good burst late to edge fellow 11-1 longshot Afleet Ascent by three-quarters of a length at the wire.
"He was in a good spot all the way," said jockey Evin Roman, who guided the 3-year-old Hold Me Back gelding through a 14-horse field on the Del Mar grass. "Then he finished strong. He felt good at the finish, like he could run farther."
Calexman sprinted to the early lead and opened up a four-length advantage through an opening quarter in :22.87. Restrainedvengence was 3 1/2 lengths back as Calexman covered a half-mile in :47.22 and gained another length on the leader through six furlongs in 1:11.29.
Under pressure through the second turn, Calexman dug in on the inside and still had a head in front with a furlong to go. Afleet Ascent eventually got by on the outside, but only held the lead momentarily, as Restrainedvengence surged late to hit the wire in 1:35.37. Afleet Ascent held second, a half-length ahead of Calexman.
"He did everything but win," said Afleet Ascent's jockey, Kent Desormeaux. "(He) ran beautifully. Ran right to my fingertips—perfect. There was just one that was a little better today."
The victory also brought out a wave of emotion for Val Brinkerhoff.
"It's very uplifting, because my partner Bob Grayson had two kinds of cancer, he's been taking chemotherapy all winter, and I think this horse saved his life," Val Brinkerhoff said. "We knew this horse had some talent. This is the race we've been looking forward to all year and we got it."
Following Calexman in third came Desert Stone, Move Over, Arawak, Texas Wedge, Heartfullofstars, Pepe Tono, Artie B Good, Respect the Hustle, Faversham, More Honor, and Shane Zain, to complete the order of finish.
Bred in Kentucky by Westwind Farms, out of the Red Ransom mare Cupids Revenge, Restrainedvengence now has a 3-1-0 record from eight starts and $154,290 in earnings. His previous wins came in a one-mile maiden special weight on the grass at Santa Anita Park in September and in an optional-claiming allowance sprinting down the Santa Anita hillside turf course April 6. He was a $67,000 purchase by Grayson out of the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.