CC Emerald

 7/24/2010  CBY  Race #5 1 1/16m  Turf  Stake Purse $115.000 (includes $15.00 added stakes)  For Three Year Olds And Upward

CBY was sunny and dry this weekend, unlike some tracks around North America. Racing fans everywhere gave a collective sigh of relief as the annual CC series of six stakes got underway Saturday underneath a clear sky and dry conditions. 

Perhaps the most relieved was Larkhill Stables, whose two  geldings, Asylum Cat and Crystal Springs, won him back to back trophies in the CC Emerald and CC Jewel. The CC festivities feature a series of stakes set up for former claimers. The fields are often a mix of unknowns, hard luck types, underachievers, fading old campaigners, rising up and comers and mismanaged charges who come to new life under new management. The CC  Emerald proved to be a case of a rising up and comer as Asylum Cat closed to win the seventh running of the CC Emerald.

The race began with The Longest Tard breaking sharply in the middle of the field and angling in to take up the lead on the rail. Jumbo Operator and Dynamicist were quickly away as well and were soon stalking the leader. It was another two lengths back to Asylum Cat, Seville, Think Fast and Turf Toe, all racing mid pack. Another two lengths behind those four were Under Par , Yee Haw and American Venture who trailed early.

Yee Haw, who broke from the outside #10 spot, was taken wide round the first turn as was Turf Toe. The others managed to get around the bend into the backstretch without issue. The field stayed much the same until the turn for home when  the field began to bunch as the closers zeroed in on the early pacesetters.

Turf Toe was again caught wide in the turn, this time by five and was through by the time they hit the straight. Seville rallied right into a rail pocket and was stuck there for much of rest of the race until he was spent when finally clear. Yee Haw who overcame his first turn traffic issues made it around the bend clear but came up behind a wall of horseflesh in the straight and little time to make an impact when did try to close.

For those in the clear, the race was now on big time. Asylum Cat was flying as they hit the straight and soon wrested the lead away from the now fading The Longest Tard. Jumbo Operator who stalked the pace all the way tried to fight off Asylum Cat and the late closing Under Par. but both slipped away in a momentary duel until Asylum Cat turned it on to win going away by  a length. Under Par got second with his Hail Mary run while Jumbo Operator beat back all the rest to hold on for third.

Asylum Cat is a gelded four year old son of Tabasco Cat who was bred by La Rosa Stables In Kentucky. The tall bay with a classic router build was auctioned for $7.010 late in 2009 after failing to break his maiden in three sprints. Asylum Cat took second in his first claiming start for his new connections, then won four out five turf route races with increasing speed. This in turn led to his start in the CC  Emerald which proved to be all the developing colt needed to show off his new found talent.

His win yesterday improves his record to 14-5-3-1 with $156.670 in career earnings and establishes him as a rising talent in the turf route stakes division. Here is the race recap:

Asylum Cat raced mid pack then closed to take the lead mid stretch to win convincingly by a length. Under Par was back early then closed with a late rush to get second. Jungle Operator stalked the early pace then held on for third in the stretch run. Yee Haw was back early, four wide in the first turn, blocked in the straight but was clear late for a last minute rally to get fourth. Seville raced mid pack on the inside, was caught in a rail pocket  while turning for home then was clear too late to factor. The Longest Tard broke sharply to take the early lead then faded in the stretch. Think Fast was mid pack early with a mild rally at the close. Turf Toe raced mid pack, was forced wide on both turns then weakened. Dynamicist stalked the early pace then faded in the stretch. American Venture was outrun early.

Track: Firm
Time: :23²  :47¹  1:11²  1:41²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 3 - 6 Paid 50.90
$1 Trifecta: 3 - 6 - 8 Paid 742.90

Scratched: None