Revolutionary returns in classy allowance
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Photo:
Eclipse Sportswire
This time last year Revolutionary
was high up on the Kentucky Derby lists of many in the industry. Highly
regarded from the start, the son of War Pass went to post in his first 6 career
starts as the favorite. Despite the fact that it took the colt four attempts to
break his maiden, bettors and fans alike were still firmly in the colt’s corner
when he made his stakes, and incidentally 2013, debut in the G3 Withers. The
well-bred colt ran to his odds, getting the win by a mere neck after trailing
the field as they turned for home and then weaving through traffic.
He then took that form on the road, earning his second
graded stakes in the G2 Louisiana Derby the hard way. Twelfth of fourteen at
the half mile call, Revolutionary advanced into sixth by the three-quarter mile
call. As the field exited the turn for home, the son of War Pass announced his
presence with a wide, sweeping move that wheeled him five wide entering the
stretch. After making such a bold move, the colt still had the stretch run in
front of him, and he proved incredibly game that day. Despite Mylute charging hard to his outside as
the duo distanced themselves from their next rival, Revolutionary dug in and
held on to win by a neck…again.
Entering the Kentucky Derby, Revolutionary was again well
bet, but for the first time in his career, he did not enter the starting gate
as the post time favorite. No, favoritism that day went to Orb, who had absolutely owned the Gulfstream preps. Orb also had
been one of the colts that beat Revolutionary in his first three attempts to break
his maiden, and the roles would not be reversed on the first Saturday in May
despite Revolutionary’s best efforts. Like the winner, Revolutionary was well
back in the early stages of the race. With the other late runners,
Revolutionary began to pick off rivals as the field hit the far turn. Following
Golden Soul, Revolutionary with
Calvin Bo-rail in the irons, moved up the rail to grab third as the field hit
the wire in the slopping running of the 139th Kentucky Derby.
Following his third place finish in the Kentucky Derby,
Revolutionary ran just one more time. Despite looming large at the top of the
stretch, Revolutionary was unable to make much headway in the stretch and
finished an even fifth. At that point, owner WinStar Farm and trainer Todd
Pletcher decided to shelve the dual graded stakes winner for the remainder of
the year in order to give him a chance to mature and grow. Seven months later
and fans are finally getting to see what they feared would not actually come to
pass…Revolutionary’s return to the starting gate.
Revolutionary—Slated
to face 6 classy rivals in Race 2 at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, the Pletcher trainee drew the rail in his 2014 debut
and will retain the services of jockey Javier Castellano for the NW3X. Though
he hasn’t raced since the Belmont, the colt has been steadily training up to
his return. He most recently worked an easy 4 furlongs in 49:90 (26/59) at Palm
Meadows, where he has been turning in regular breezes since mid-November. Based
on who he is facing, the colt should be sent off as the favorite despite never
having previously raced at Gulfstream and having a running style that does not
generally do well at the South Florida track.
Reveron—By Songandaprayer,
Reveron looked dangerous during the latter part of 2011 and into the beginning
of 2012. He won the inaugural running of the Gulfstream Park Derby, ran 3rd
in that year’s Sam F. Davis, and then ran 2nd to upset winner Take
Charge Indy in the 2012 Florida Derby. The colt was very close to making the
Kentucky Derby field, but a hairline fracture in his left front ankle ended his
3-year old campaign. Since returning to the races back in November, Reveron has
not shown his old form. He ran sixth in an optional claimer and then sixth
behind record setting River Seven in the Harlan’s Holiday. He is eligible to
improve third off the layoff, and the cutback to a mile may help.
Honorable Dillon—This
4-year old son of Tapit likes the Gulfstream track, but the distance is a bit
of a question mark for him. In his only try past 7 furlongs, the colt finished
7th going a mile and a sixteenth in the Tampa Bay Derby last
year. He received a freshening after
finishing 8th in the G2 Woody Stephens and was last seen finishing 2nd
in an optional claimer at Aqueduct on December 4. The return to Gulfstream
should further improve his form, but I see this one filling out the exotics
rather than coming home the winner.
My Adonis—No stranger
to stakes company, My Adonis is a stakes winner in his own right, accounting
for a pair of listed stakes earlier in his career. Since capturing the Long
Branch in July 2012, though, he has not returned to the winner’s circle, even
after dropping back into allowance company. He has been working lights out at
Palm Meadows, but I don’t see him making an impact against this field.
Silver Menace—This
gray son of Silver Wagon hails from the same connections as Breeders’ Cup
Classic winner Mucho Macho Man but has not been anywhere near as successful as
his stablemate. Though his form has improved as of late, it won’t be enough to
get the job done at a track and a distance with which he has had no success.
Viramundo—An intact
son of Stephen Got Even, Kentucky bred Viramundo began his career in Panama.
All 5 of his wins came in that country, and his best placing since arriving
Stateside was a third place finish behind Golden Lad, a half to Broadway’s
Alibi. Ordinarily I would dismiss this one, but trainer Martin Wolfson has a
way of turning horses around, and that third place finish came since being transferred
to Wolfson’s barn. He is not a top play by any means, but he is an intriguing
entrant.
Falling Sky—Winner
of last year’s Sam F. Davis Stakes, Falling Sky has not tried the mile distance
but has won going a little longer and a little shorter. A son of Lion Heart,
this colt is perfect in one start at Gulfstream. After finishing 19th
in the Kentucky Derby, Falling Sky was given a breather and returned to the
races back in November. He finished 9th in the City of Laurel, but
it could be argued that he needed a race. He has been working steadily at Palm
Beach Downs, where his last 3 works earned bullet status.
Revolutionary is the most accomplished in the field, but
this certainly will not be a walk in the park for him. In my opinion, in order
for Revolutionary to really have a good shot, he will need to be closer to the
pace than he generally has been in past performances. Despite the layoff, I
give him the nod here with Honorable Dillon, Falling Sky, and Reveron filling
out the superfecta.
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