No Denying Holiday Star in Sycamore Stakes
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Following a pair of tough nose defeats in his most recent tries, there was no denying Holiday Star in the $100,000 Sycamore Stakes (gr. IIIT) as he wore down favored Red Rifle in the final 100 yards on a soft Keeneland turf course Oct. 16 .
Rosie Napravnik earned her third win on the card Thursday when she guided Holiday Star, a Pennsylvania homebred for George Strawbridge's Augustin Stable, to his first stakes victory by half a length.
Trained by Graham Motion, who won his third straight race on the Keeneland program, the winning 4-year-old son of Harlan's Holiday was timed in 2:33.83 for the 1 1/8-mile distance at rainy Keeneland. Holiday Star went off at odds of nearly 4-1.
Pacesetter Red Rifle, the 19-10 choice in a field reduced to six by three scratches, held second by half a length over Villandry.
Holiday Star, a gelding out of the Deputy Minister mare Spring Star, was second by a nose in the PTHA President's Cup Stakes over yielding turf at Parx Racing Sept. 13. He missed by the same margin when second to Sycamore rival Tricky Hat in the restricted John's Call Stakes Aug. 6 at Saratoga Race Course.
"It was a good day to visit. I'm glad they left (the Sycamore) on the grass. That was a great move for everybody, and the grass is in good shape," Motion said. "This horse deserved to win. He's been beaten two pretty short noses, so I was thrilled to see him win. Rosie gave him a great ride."
Well positioned toward the inside, Holiday Star stalked Red Rifle, racing well off the rail for John Velazquez, through a half mile in :53.02 and a 1:45.69 mile over the boggy conditions. Red Rifle, who enjoyed a two-length advantage early, reached the quarter pole in 2:10.35 with his edge reduced to a length while maintaining the lead past the furlong mark.
Holiday Star, shifted to the outside of Red Rifle on the far turn, came five wide for Naprvanik while driving, and kept the pressure on through the lane before getting control shortly before the wire.
Napravnik rode Holiday Star for the first time in the Sycamore.
"The pace was so slow, and like I told Graham I thought we would settle behind the speed somewhere, but I thought there might be another horse or two that would at least be a little closer," Napravnik said. "There weren't. Holiday Star just settled and loped along there as the pace went. He ran an excellent race and was gritty 'til the end.
Red Rifle, a tenacious leader, held second over Villandry, who saved ground under Shaun Bridgmohan but could not close the gap in the stretch to finish a solid third. Tricky Hat was 4 3/4 lengths farther back in fourth, followed by second choice Unitarian, who was never a factor while shouldering top weight of 125 pounds, and Cozy Kitten. Aldous Snow, Mister Marti Gras, and St. Albans Boy scratched.
Holiday Star's, whose fourth lifetime win in 13 races increased his earnings to $198,603, paid $9.80, $4.20, and $3.20 while carrying 121 pounds. Red Rifle, favored off his win in the 1 1/2-mile Yankee Affair Sept. 6 at Belmont Park for trainer Todd Pletcher, returned $3 and $2.60. The exacta was worth $27.80. Villandry, dropping in class out of a fourth-place effort in the Northern Dancer Stakes (Can-IT) at Woodbine, paid $3.40 to show.