Purge Upsets in Cigar
Trainer Todd Pletcher may have struck out in the Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday despite having three of the five starters in the race (which was won by the Richard Dutrow-trained Wonder Lady Anne L), but the loss was more than made up for with wins in the day’s two other stakes. Heavy favorite Bluegrass Cat easily won the Remsen going gate-to-wire. The two-year-old has now won three straight and is Pletcher’s early Kentucky Derby hope. In the Cigar, longshot Purge scored an upset with an impressive come from behind rally in the stretch. It was the last race of the four-year-old’s career, which must be something of shame for his trainer. “I realize more why he did what he did today and why we didn’t do better with him the rest of the year,” Pletcher said. “Last year … I felt he could be as good as any older horse in the country. Things just didn’t jell early in the year.” At least things came together at the end. With a grade one win in his record, Purge is retiring to stud at the Vinery.
At Churchill Downs on Saturday: The unbeaten French Park ran down She Says It Best to win the Golden Rod Stakes. “She worked hard,” said jockey Mark Guidry. “She never gave up, just never gave up.” Private Vow redeemed his disappointing turn in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with a win in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes and trainer Steve Asmussen is looking ahead to May. “He won a nice race,” said Asmussen. “He’s 4–for-6, a multiple graded-stakes winner and won a two-turn stakes at Churchill…. Now, without a doubt, you figure out how do you get back here on the first Saturday in May with the most horse possible? That’s definitely our quest.”
