He's A Pirate
Eidolon
Thatswhenyoushine
He's A Pirate
Eidolon
Pioneer
Daemon
Autumn Fun
Flat Creek Racing
Ferndale Farms
Post by symphony on Feb 22, 2013 7:57:08 GMT -5
FEATURES
A total of four Features were run during the Green Isle Carnival; the Pretty In Pink Juvenile for two year olds, the open Queen's Sprint, the Fantasia Open for sprinters, and of course the Green Isle Handicap for aspiring Group III runners.
The two year olds were first on the track, running in the Pretty In Pink Juvenile for turf runners who could go the distance. A total of five youngsters stepped out on the track for their first Feature run, with He's A Pirate of Ferndale Farms the hot favourite well before post time, while Rocket Away for Flat Creek Racing was a way off in the betting as second favourite. Those favouring Devil I Am got a scare at the gates, when the Flat Creek colt didn't look like he was going to load, but was eventually in and away.
Devil I Am broke fast, heading straight for the lead from the inner barrier with He's A Pirate hot on his heels on the outside. Rocket Glock and Rocket Away fell in behind them, with maiden racer Deidre trailing. The two colts set a cracking pace through the first four furlongs, leading six furlongs to Rocket Away, with a head to Glock and a length back to Deidre. At seven furlongs, He's A Pirate had dropped back a length to Devil I Am, still setting a fast pace, while the rest of the field had reduced their lead to four and a half. Two furlongs later, the two frontrunners began to show signs of tiring, their lead dropping to two lengths to Glock, who was pulled wide and gaining fast. Another length to Rocket Away and Deidre beginning to move, both fillies running head-to-head at that point. At the two furlong mark Devil I Am began to really drop back, He's A Pirate and Glock challenging on the outside while Rocket Away and Deidre battled it out a length behind.
With one furlong to go, He's A Pirate and Glock pulled out in front of Devil I Am, who dropped back a length to third. Deirdre pulled wide and was sent forward to challenge Devil I Am, who once again sprints away. Rocket Away was eased up on the stretch a little to fall back two lengths, while He's A Pirate pulled out in front by one as they neared the line, stablemate Glock in pursuit; but no one is good enough to catch him as he crosses the line two lengths clear. He's A Pirate is followed by Glock, with Devil I Am a length in third, another length to Deirdre and a disappointing two lengths back to Rocket Away in fifth place.
The Queen's Sprint came not too long after, with a total field of seven entries come post time. Eastern Elements was a short favourite, with the rest of the betting wide open, though three year old colt Ash and Fire and newcomer Platinum Dream stood out with shorter odds than most. At the gate, most loaded quietly, with Eastern Elements loading into gate three, a prime placement for her. Platinum Dream balked at first, but otherwise loaded without argument, while Ash and Fire did all he could to avoid them, though thankfully was loaded quickly after at first rearing, the final one to go in.
Though the last to go in, Ash and Fire was the first out, breaking fast from the outside and cutting in towards the rail as soon as he could. Tuarwen stumbled coming out of the gate, trailing a length behind everyone else and scrambling to catch up. Ash and Fire led through the first furlong, a neck on the outside of Platinum Dream, with Eastern Elements settled on the rail behind them vying for third with Touch the Sky. Alouette ran three wide and a half length behind, caught on the outside, with All That Jazz just off the rail behind Eastern Elements and Tuarwen trailing by one but moving up fast.
At the four furlong pole, Alouette had dropped back to run with All That Jazz, Tuarwen right behind them and boxing the Flat Creek filly in. Platinum Dreams was still going strong on the inside, with Ash and Fire dropping back between Eastern Elements and Touch the Sky, forcing the other colt out wide. Through that furlong, Eastern Elements began to move up, joining Platinum Dreams a length in front, with Ash and Fire alone in third and Touch the Sky running with Alouette on the outside. Both frontrunners began to move up as they headed into the stretch, battling for first place while Alouette and Touch the Sky moved out wide and past Ash and Fire, challenging the leaders. Eastern Elements was not to be outdone though, pulling out a half-length in front of Platinum Dreams with another half to a fast-closing Touch the Sky at the wire. A neck to Alouette on the outside with a length back to Ash and Fire, drifting in the middle of the track a length in front of Tuarwen and All That Jazz, only a nose apart for sixth and seventh.
The Fantasia Open firmed at eight competitors several days before running, all of them at long odds. Two year old Mindset looked to be a good choice for Flat Creek Racing, coming off a win in a low-level Maiden Plate, though his age and inexperience turned away many punters. Fly By Knight was known for being a solid money-earner, though not for her performance in Features, while Spring's Delight had put in a brilliant performance last start and had stepped up the competition. Old favourites Open At The Close and Veridical were here too, though recent performances suggested they weren't quite at their peak and might not manage to take out a Feature.
The field loaded easily and then they were away, Veridical breaking slowly and taking a position at the back of the field, while Open At The Close out-sped Spring's Delight and Fly By Knight to take an early lead. The latter two settled close behind with Spring's Delight along the rail, waiting for an opening, Mindset hot on her heels with Shining High and The Wild Life alongside him. Alphabet Falls trailed a length and a half behind Mindset with Veridical a length behind her and clearly not happy about the slow start.
At the three furlong pole, Fly By Knight had moved up to challenge Open At The Close, who was holding on by a head with Spring's Delight trapped against the rail by Shining High and The Wild Life. Mindset travelling well behind Spring's Delight in fifth, with a head to Alphabet Falls and Veridical a length behind. The Wild Life pulled out wide trying to get around Open At The Close and Fly By Knight, still going strong, while Alphabet Falls moved into the gap to take fourth position. Shining High dropped back next to Mindset at the two furlong marker, while the two leaders pulled out wide to sprint down the stretch, opening a gap for Spring's Delight along the rail, who took her chance and went into a whole new gear, challenging Open At The Close and Fly By Knight for the lead. Alphabet Falls and The Wild Life ran a nose apart a length away, closely followed by Mindset looking to move up and a lagging Shining High, falling back to join Veridical in last place.
Spring's Delight shot forward to take the lead with less than a furlong to go, a length in front of Open At The Close who was in full chase. Fly By Knight drifted towards the outside, eased off from the pace a little and allowing The Wild Life to make a bold charge to challenge Open At The Close. Spring's Delight was not to be overtaken though, clear by two and a half at the wire, with The Wild Life, Open At The Close and Fly By Knight making it a photo finish for second. Alphabet Falls came just a length and a half behind with Mindset a half length behind her on the inside, then two lengths to Veridical and Shining High, a neck apart.
Further study of the photo finish put Open At The Close second by a nose, with The Wild Life third and Fly By Knight half a head for fourth.
A final field of six stepped out for the Green Isle Handicap, the biggest race of the day. Last year's winner In Da Dog House was starting as the short favourite, with smart filly Phantom Menace also at short odds as second favourite after her four length maiden win last start. The rest of the field was made up of previous Feature winners Fiorion and Numerical, three year old Unsung Hero, and Switch, who was rather far out in the betting, having struggled to break her maiden as a two year old.
Phantom Menace shot straight to an early lead from the gates, breaking from an inner barrier and claiming the rail. Numerical quickly followed, the fillies setting a fast pace into the first furlong. Switch settled in on the rail two lengths behind the frontrunners, Fiorion half a length behind on the outside with Unsung Hero running well behind them and a length to In Da Dog House last.
Very little movement happened through the mile, Numerical and Phantom Menace setting a very fast pace for six furlongs before beginning to drop back and join the rest of the field. With five furlongs to go, the two leaders only led by half a length with Unsung Hero making a move on the inside and Fiorion looking for a gap. Numerical began to drop back, Phantom Menace drifting out from the rail and letting Fiorion take the lead at the four furlong pole. Switch followed Fiorion's burst, boxed in as Phantom Menace dropped back to join him, while In Da Dog House began looking for a way through. As they came into the stretch, Fiorion and Unsung Hero were let loose and quickly opened a three length lead on the rest of the field, with Switch pulled wide and closing fast; though not fast enough, Fiorion and Unsung Hero taking it to the wire with three lengths to spare. Switch followed with half a length to In Da Dog House on the inside, and another two to Phantom Menace with Numerical a head slower in last.
The second photo finish of the day revealed Fiorion had it by a head over stablemate Unsung Hero.
