Focus Group Takes Pan American Stakes in Photo Finish
Image:
Description:
Photo: Coglianese Photos
Focus Group takes the Pan American Stakes at Gulfstream Park
A hard-scramble duel to the wire turned into a make-or-break moment March 30 for Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence's Focus Group, who was ultimately declared the winner following a photo finish in the $250,000 Pan American Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park.
The 9-5 favorite in the 1 1/2-mile turf test, Focus Group broke midpack from the inside post and stuck close to the rail. On the lead was 5-year-old Village King, who also settled along the rail to set fractions of :24.93, :51.62, and 1:18.37 through the first six furlongs.
As the mile went in 1:44.87 and they made their way toward home, Canessar kicked forward and came up the middle at the top of the stretch, but it didn't take long for the rest of the field to catch up, and Melmich drew up on even terms with Canessar and Village King to issue a late challenge just as Irad Ortiz Jr. set Focus Group down for a drive up the inside.
Melmich and Focus Group broke away in deep stretch and dueled all the way to the wire. Following a review of the photo, Focus Group was named the winner on the bob by a nose. Final time for the race was 2:30.03.
"I got a perfect trip. I saved all the ground I could," said Ortiz, who took home his fourth win of the afternoon.
"(Village King) got out a little bit, so I was a little lucky I got through there, which was probably the key for us. Javier (Castellano, on Melmich) had to check a little bit because he had a horse there, and that's why I won the race. We got lucky we got the win. He's a nice horse who always tries. From this race, I think he'll improve."
Village King took third, one length ahead of Canessar in fourth. Jockey Feargal Lynch, who was aboard Canessar, lodged an objection against Melmich, claiming foul in the stretch. After review of the inquiry by the stewards, the order of finish was unchanged.
"I'm really proud of this horse," said winning trainer Chad Brown. "He got a great trip on the inside. He saved all the ground. I thought he was a couple works short. I was trying to get a race into the horse with the (May 11) Man o' War (G1T) in mind up in New York. It worked out. I thought he'd be a little short to win. But he got a great trip. The trip he got from Irad was the difference."
It was the first graded stakes score for Focus Group, who entered the race off a five-month layoff following a third-place finish in the Oct. 13 Pattison Canadian International Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine.
Bred in Kentucky by Dixiana Farms, Focus Group is the third foal out of the Dynaformer mare Cocktail Hour, who produced a Noble Mission filly in 2018 and was barren for 2019. A son of leading North American sire Kitten's Joy , he was purchased for $140,000 by bloodstock agent Mike Ryan from the Lane's End consignment to the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He improved his record to 5-0-3 from 12 starts, with earnings of $438,164.