Arlington-Washington Lassie and Futurity Were Never in Doubt
Clearly jockey Eusebio Razo Jr. was one of the lucky ones. In the Grade 3 $100,000 Arlington-Washington Lassie, he knew what most of the crowd did not. He told Rocket Twentyone’s trainer Tom Howard after the first time that he rode her, that she would win the today’s big race.
Whether she is special or not remains still in question, but her jockey looked awfully smart as he guided the 16-1 longshot to victory today.
Sitting just off the early lead, Rocket Twentyone bided her time through fractions of 23.45 seconds, 47.70 seconds, 1:12.51 and 1:25.38, before Razo was able to cut loose his charge down the stretch. She never needed or produced a burst of speed, but was able to wear down her rival from the outside. The Frank Fletcher owned juvenile filly covered the flat mile in an uninspiring time of 1:39.13 to win by a half-length over the pacesetter, Essence of Bubbles, who was a half-length clear of fast closing second choice, Ann of the Dance on the wire.
Today’s victory kept the dark bay daughter of Indian Charlie’s record perfect in two starts. In her debut, she was a strong winner in a six furlong maiden race at Prairie Meadows last month.
One race later was the male’s version of the Lassie, the Arlington-Washington Futurity, and while there was not quite the bold prediction of that made by Razo, the winner’s connections had big confidence in their colt.
Trainer Tom Amoss and jockey Leandro Goncalves were afforded that confidence in Shared Property after the dark bay, gelded son of Scat Daddy ran an extremely impressive race in breaking his maiden at Ellis Park in late July. Sure enough their belief in the Jerry Namy owned juvenile would be rewarded.
Making a late rally in the center of the track, Shared Property collared leader Take Charge Indy at the sixteenth pole, and powered on by to win the Arlington-Washington Futurity by a length, covering the distance in 1:37.93 as the 3-1 third choice in the big field of 13.
Photos courtesy of Four Footed Fotos