Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Kentucky Derby Prep Race Results: Proceed Bee Wins John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park February 28
Posted on Saturday, February 28th, 2009
Probable Kentucky Derby contender Proceed Bee earned his second stakes win in the $100,000 John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park.
The John Battaglia Memorial Stakes is one of the 2009 Kentucky Derby prep races scheduled for Saturday, February 28.
With the scratch of Fitzaslew, pacesetting chores eventually fell to Dynamite Bob and Platinum Van, but as the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes field rounded the first turn of the 1 1/16-mile race, 5 of the 7 horses were ranged across the track. Parade Clown, who broke from the outside post as the 3-5 favorite, was eager to join the fray and rounded the turn widest of all.
Straightening down the backstretch, Dynamite Bob and Platinum Van raced in front a head apart, while Parade Clown raced two lengths behind and Proceed Bee tracked in fourth. Parade Clown challenged leaving the backstretch and had the lead by a head entering the stretch, but Proceed Bee, with Rodney Prescott aboard, came wide with a bid of his own and took over. Parade Clown dug in for another try but settled for second, 3 1/2 lengths better than Toccet Rocket, who closed after trailing half the race.
“Rodney did a great job riding him,” said winning race horse trainer Terry Gestes. “He was a little green around the second turn and wanted to shy away from horses, so Rodney had to stay after him, tap him on the shoulder.
“He’s just young. The first few races he sprinted and ran pretty clean. The last couple of races, going longer, he had little problems–reared at the start, and then when a horse drifted out turning for home, he propped and dove for the rail. So we’re just figuring him out, trying to put him together. It’s maturity–some take more time than others, and you’ve got to stick with it and not get in a rush. He’s got to put it all together.”
Gestes said a couple of stakes were on the radar as Proceed Bee’s “maturity race,” including the Rushaway Stakes on the Lane’s End undercard.
K. K. Ball, who trains Parade Clown, said, “I don’t take anything away from the winner. He ran a great race. Our horse was wide and aggressive on the first turn, and the first turn is a big deal in two-turn races. It was an uneven trip. He’s changing his running style, getting more aggressive. He’s a three-year-old in the spring; he’s changing. He’s been running about every three weeks, so we’ll see how he comes out and then decide about the Lane’s End.”
Completing the order of finish were Shanes Gold, Stratos, Dynamite Bob, and Platinum Van.
Fitzaslew, 2-1 on the morning line, turned up colicky this morning after having shipped from Florida to Lexington and was scratched, said trainer Ken McPeek. “We treated him and he came out of it,” said McPeek. McPeek said the promising colt would be pointed toward the Rushaway.
After moderate opening fractions, Proceed Bee finished the 1 1/16 mile Battaglia Memorial in 1:47.49 and paid $10.40 as the 4-1 third choice. He now has four wins and one third in six career starts and earnings of $137,594. Proceed Bee is raced by William Stiritz.
Horse racing news edited from www.turfway.com.
Tags: Dynamite Bob, Fitzaslew, Parade Clown, Platinum Van, Proceed Bee, Shanes Gold, Stratos, Toccet Rocket
"Kentucky Derby Prep Race Results: Proceed Bee Wins John Battaglia Memorial Stakes at Turfway Park February 28" was posted on Saturday, February 28th, 2009 at 10:21 pm and is filed under Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Results & Payouts, Stakes Races, Triple Crown, Turfway Park, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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