Man O' War 2018
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| Champion of just about 100 years ago - Man O' War standing proud and tall. |
The Man o' War Stakes for 2018 took place on May 12. Run on the turf at the somewhat oddball distance of 1 3/8 miles, the race is named after the 1920s runner and winner of 20 out of 21 races for $249,465 (equal to $3,047,451 today) -- close to Babe Ruth in public accolade -- and one of the greatest horses in racing history. The day was marked by steady rain, and a jockey work action early on - not for safety concerns, but rather as a negotiaing tactic as a finalization of a jockey's contract had been held up a long time.
The recent Beyer speed numbers on paper separated the race out into Argentine-bred Hi Happy (7) well on top, shaded by Call Provision (6) , One Go All Go (9) and Sadler's Joy (2). Among the more numbers-laggardly were such classy runners as Big Picture (8) (last year's United Nationons Hdcp winner) and Wake Forest (5) (the German-bred winner of this race in 2016).
Going in the top in proven class would seem to have been Sadler's Joy, a Grade-1 winner that garnered $1 million last year. Sadler's Joy is a hard runner with a tremendous final kick - but either wins by a head or length or loses by a head or length - timing is everything for his jock.
High Happy had in his turn some pretty striking form of late - several consecutive Beyer 100s topped by a 105.
The bet here (and it was nothing the race crowd did not see) was on these two, but including some gambling on World Approval to return to form and One Go All Go, who'd run close to Hi Happy and whose trainer (Charles Dickey) had some interesting figures for graded stakes and routes.
The bet 7-2 exacta box; 8 over 2, 7, 9. W-7, P-2.
As it turned out. Form was a very important ingredient for winner in the Man o War Stakes 2018. That would be Hi Happy. The horse stalked outside posted early leader One Go All Go (who strove gallantly) and took over full of vim and vigor on entering the stretch.
Actual finish 7-2-9-6.
Bigger Picture. Old fave. Just didn’t quite fire. Only finished ahead of last-place Wake Forest. Getting old - both, perhaps. Meanwhile, Hi Happy has found fine form in in the Todd Pletcher barn. With two wins in a row, Hi Happy's can now claim earnings of $1.1 million. Sadler's Joy sure enough was just a bit off in his timing at the wire, as has been seen before. If this were a mile and a half race, he may well have bested Hi Happy. The picture above doesnt convey it, but the NYRA Twitter link below does. - Romeo.
JV: these work outside of preview --- maybe when page is pubished they will work...
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| Click above toteboard pic to see the finish of Man O' War 2018 - winner: Hi Happy. |
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