Thousandsticks takes third win in a row, Coglianese Photo
Gulfstream Park Press
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Silverton Hill’s Centipedesin a change of tactics for his debut in the stakes, was behind Redland Rebels before battling the long-distance runner mid-race and emerging with a hard-fought neck victory in the $175,000 Kitten’s Joy on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
The 15th running of the 1 1/16-mile Kitten’s Joy for 3-year-olds on the turf was the first of five stakes, two of which were worth $975,000 in prize money on a twelve-race schedule anchored by the $275,000 Holy Bull (G3) for 3-year-olds en route to the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1).
Under Mario Gutierrez for trainer Brian Lynch, Thousandsticks ($8.60) completed a solid course in 1:40.23 and extended his win streak to three races. It was the sixth Championship Meet victory for Lynch, and the fourth with Gutierrez on board.
“Another gaming effort from him,” Lynch said of Thousandsticks, a $90,000 son of Twirling Candy. “He’s still green and he’s still learning, and I think he’s still taking us on a path of development there. I think he’s fit to be a really nice little three-year-old as the summer goes on. He was still a little bit waspish to saddle and he raced a little green there today, but he certainly dug in when he had to.”
Redland Rebels was whipped forward from his outside post by jockey Junior Alvarado and completed the first quarter mile in 22.74 seconds. Instead of dueling for the top spot, Gutierrez picked up the pace in second and raced to the outside of the leader, flanked by Peat star in the three-way with 6-5 favorite Alpyland settled in fourth place.
“It was a good trip,” Gutierrez said. “We broke out of there and wanted to see what the competition would be like, whether they would take the lead or let us take the lead. Me and Mr. Lynch talked about it and if anyone wanted it, we were fine with letting them take the lead. We were close to them, and that’s how it worked.”
The order remained unchanged after half a mile in 46.52 seconds, and Redland Rebels clung to a brief lead as Thousandsticks loomed a threat. Once heading home, Gutierrez set his sights on the stubborn leader and took the lead late to take a third win after five lifetime starts.
“There was some pace early and we had him working where he had been next to the horses, so we felt confident he could do that,” Lynch said. “They got the first quarter in 22 and changed so they were running, and he seemed comfortable just following. I think the winning move was when Mario was able to squeeze between them halfway through the top turn and he was able to keep his position. I think if he had been shot there it might have been a different outcome.”
Redland Rebels held seconds, three quarters of a length ahead of Alpyland, Gnarly Knicks, Glorious boyPeatster and Chozalite. Chalky White was scratched.
Thousandsticks improved to 3-0 on the Gulfstream turf, graduating in a first one-mile special weight on December 6 before winning a 1 1/16-mile optional claim fee on January 11, both in front-runner fashion – by 5 ¼ combined lengths. The next entry for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream is the $200,000 Colonel Liam going one mile on February 28.
“As you get into the spring you have to look out for three-year-olds like this because there are so many good turf races as the year goes on. He’s a horse that seems to be doing well with racing now and he’s a tough, strong little colt, so I think we’ll definitely get him up here and get him ready for a race at Keeneland and hopefully Derby Day,” Lynch said. “He is an exciting young 3-year-old heading into the spring/summer.”
Bred and owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Kitten’s Joy won nine of fourteen starts and more than $2 million in earnings over three racing seasons. Seven of his wins came in graded stakes, including Gulfstream’s Palm Beach (G3) during his 2004 Eclipse Award season as champion turf horse.
#CONSECUTIVE #WIN #IMPROVING #THOUSAND #STICKS