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MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2018
by: Valerie Mellema
From the Cigar Mile to the Claiming Crown, there was plenty of excitement in horse racing this weekend. Here's a look at the weekend's highlights.
Upset in the Cigar Mile
We'll start with the Cigar Mile has the result of the race has definitely been the talk of the weekend. Only, they haven't been talking much about the winner, but the 8-5 favorite that finished fourth. That favorite was MENDELSSOHN, a fantastic horse that many say has been mismanaged over the past year. However, we'll now never know if he could ever be a dirt horse on this side of the pond or if he could have torn up the turf in the US, as he was retired to Coolmore Sunday after the race. He will stand for $35,000.
As far as the actual race, it was an exciting day for Chad Brown. With odds at 5-1, PATTERNOFRECOGNITION was cruising with a length lead. Neither MENDELSSOHN nor COPPER TOWN challenged him. The five year old, who has had 11 starts with 5 wins, fended off late bids of TIMBER TOWN and PAT ON THE BACK and covered the mile in 1:34.98. SUNNY RIDGE finished second followed by TIMBER TOWN.
Claiming Crown Highlights
The Claiming Crown is like the Breeders' Cup for claiming horses. The eleven race event also kicked off opening day for Gulfstream Park.
Trainer Jorge Navarro had a fantastic weekend, winning three of the nine Claiming Crown stakes races. Navarro's wins included The $200,000 Jewel where AZTEC SENSE ran to victory. SALSA'S RETURN was a longshot win in the $110,000 Iron Horse and another longshot win when MISSCHIEF MAAS took the $110,000 Glass Slipper.
AZTEC SENSE has certainly been one to watch. Since being claimed for $12,500 at Parx in August of last year, the horse has one 9 of 10 starts. His only loss was last year's Claiming Crown. He covered the 1 1/8th mile Jewel in 1:52.75.
Jockey Chris Landeros also had a great start to the Gulfstream meet with wins aboard MISSCHIEF MASS in the Glass Slipper and ROCKET HEAT in the Canterbury.
Other winners of the Claiming Crown included OXFORD COMMA in the Distaff Dash, UNCLE B in the Emerald, and PERU in the Tiara. PERU's win gave Ken and Sarah Ramsey their 16th Claiming Crown win and trainer Mike Maker recorded his 17th win in the series.
Have a great week!
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