Hawksmoor Battles Back to Win Endeavour Stakes
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Photo: SV Photography
Hawksmoor at Tampa Bay Downs
Lael Stables' Hawksmoor opened her 6-year-old season with the third North American stakes win of her career Feb. 9, taking the $175,000 Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes (G3T) at Tampa Bay Downs over 1 1/16 miles.
Making her first start at Tampa Bay, the Arnaud Delacour trainee was in need of a victory. Winless in her past nine starts, the daughter of Azamour was sent off the 7-5 favorite in the field of 10, and for a moment it seemed like a trip to the winner's circle might remain elusive.
It was Bonnie Arch and jockey Antonio Gallardo who found their way to the front of the pack at the break. Racing off the pace toward the inside, Hawksmoor was close to the back in seventh. Bonnie Arch set fractions of :23.08, :47.35, and 1:11.22 through six furlongs, followed by Conquest Hardcandy in second and Get Explicit in third.
Racing off the pace with jockey Javier Castellano in the irons, Hawksmoor shifted out two wide in the backstretch before looking for space between horses on the far turn to make her move. Finally finding an opening, she began her slow ascent through the middle as Viva Vegas came four wide in the lane and made her own bid for the lead.
Hawksmoor held to win by a half-length over Viva Vegas. Conquest Hardcandy took third ahead of Goodyearforroses in fourth. The final time was 1:40.83.
"We had a plan, and, to be honest, I was thinking there was not going to be much speed in the race. Maybe one or two horses, or maybe Arnaud's other horse (Bombshell)," Castellano said. "So we tried to play the game where whoever got the jump, we were going to sit off the pace, but if no one wanted it, I was going to go to the lead. Well, you know horse racing, you open the gate … and she missed the break. I didn't want to get too far back, but I liked the way she was doing it. She rolled out beautiful behind horses, and I liked the way she exploded down the lane. She hadn't raced since October, and I was afraid to ask her too much early and get flat. I think Arnaud did a good job bringing her up to the race fresh and having her ready to win."
"The plan was to be close to the lead and then she was at the back, but that's why (Javier Castellano) is in the Hall of Fame—his ability to adapt to the situation," Delacour said. "That's the first time for us that she has come closing. Usually she is not a closer and she doesn't like to be between horses, but it worked out."
Delacour said a likely next start for his mare could be the March 9 Hillsborough Stakes (G2T) at Tampa Bay.
Hawksmoor's previous stakes wins came in 2017 in the Beaugay Stakes (G3T) and New York Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G2T), both at Belmont Park. She was runner-up in three of her six starts in 2018.
Bred in Ireland by Tenuta Genzianella, Hawksmoor is the third foal out of the Danehill Dancer mare Bridal Dance and is a half sister to group 2-placed runner Magical Fire. With earnings of nearly $1.12 million, Hawksmoor has won six times and placed in 10 other starts.
Also on Saturday's card, Inspector Lynley repeated his 2017 Tampa Bay Stakes (G3T) victory with a late charge up the inside under Jose Ortiz, prevailing by a half-length over Divisidero. The 2-1 favorite, Qurbaan, was a nose back in third, with Heart to Heart another neck back in fourth.
Inspector Lynley's time of 1:40.35 for 1 1/16 miles was .70 seconds off Legs Galore's stakes and course record in 1999. He is owned by his breeders, Stuart S. Janney III and Phipps Stable, and trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Shug McGaughey.
"He ran really well at Gulfstream in a really tough race from the 13 post last time (the Grade II Fort Lauderdale Stakes)," said McGaughey's assistant, Robbie Medina. "He was last turning for home and he finished fourth, and that was a really good race.
"I thought he was going to split horses coming for home today, and I was really confident then, but when (Ortiz) dove him in, you're at the mercy of things to get through or not. Once he got his head in there, I knew he was going to pass (Heart to Heart), but I saw (Qurbaan) kind of moving and it was a matter of whether he was going to hold him off," Medina said.
"We drew perfect (in post 2) and had a great target in Heart to Heart to follow, and that was my goal, to be right behind him, and that's what we did," Ortiz said. "I know Heart to Heart tends to lean out a little bit, he has a tendency to run with his head in the air, so I sat there confidently.
"I tried to split horses, but at the same time I tried to split them, (Heart to Heart) came out a touch, and it opened up for me inside. I knew then I was going to get through."
Inspector Lynley is out of the Maria's Mon mare Criminologist, herself a multiple grade 3 winner.