Fire is Hotter than Ice on the Jersey Shore
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The moment that the horses hit the Belmont Stakes finish line, the focus shifted from the first half of the season to the second for the glamor division of American thoroughbreds. Because of the Triple Crown, three-year-old males get more ink, by far, than any other group of runners this side of the Atlantic. For good or bad, that's just the way it is. But, the first half of the year for the glamor boys was decidedly unglamorous. Division leaders like Uncle Mo and Premier Pegasus were casualties of the rigors of the Derby Trail. Favorites fell like dominoes, and long shots ruled the preps, not to mention the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont. With a win in the Spiral and the Derby, and good runs in the Preakness, and Belmont, Animal Kingdom staked claim as the leader of the division. But he's about as tenuous a leader of the division as you could get. And now with the news that he is on the shelf, at least temporarily, the division will assuredly be won in the year's second season. As the George and Lori Hall owned, and Kelly Breen trained colt, Ruler on Ice, stepped up to win the first half finale in the Belmont, the other stable star, Pants on Fire, was readying to kick off the second season in impressive style.
Pants on Fire was far from a no name horse during the Triple Crown Trail. By winning the Louisiana Derby, over Nehro and Mucho Macho Man, he took home one of the better preps of the year. At the time of that victory, it was clear that the son of Jump Start was getting better with every start. He had just missed in the Lecomte Stakes in January, before being left with little chance in the Risen Star Stakes due to a tough trip. Having raced through the winter, Pants on Fire was given some time, and he entered this year's Run for the Roses off a six week lay off. He ran a good race, finding himself right in the mix under Rosie Napravnik as the huge field turned for home. Whether it was not his day, or if 1 ¼ miles is simply a bit too far for him, he tired in the Derby stretch to finish in the middle of the pack.
If the second season has indeed started right after the Belmont, it is Pants on Fire who made the first splash. In his first start since the Kentucky Derby, the bay colt confidently took command around the far turn to stroll home by two lengths over a rallying Concealed Identity in the Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes yesterday at Monmouth Park.
Pants on Fire took a slight stumble out of the gate, and sat a couple lengths off of fractions of :23 3/5 for the first quarter mile and :47 1/5 for the half. He asserted himself after entering the far turn before reporting home clearly the best.
“He stumbled a little bit coming out of the gate,” said winning trainer Kelly Breen, “but he didn’t grab himself or lose a shoe – it was just a little stumble. He was on a loose rein, so I wasn’t sure how much horse she had, but when she moved to the lead he looked strong.”
[Do you think I am right ... should Pants on Fire be rated higher than his current #8 position on the HRN 3-year-old Rankings?]
Sent off as the odds-on favorite in the field of five colts and geldings, the winner returned $3.20, $2.80 and $2.10 after covering the mile and a sixteenth over a fast main track in 1:42 4/5. With his victory in the Pegasus, Pants On Fire sports a record of 3-3-1 from 10 starts. He has earned $798,100 for his connections.
“He was the best horse in the race,” said winning rider Rosie Napravnik. “I think around the far turn, the horses in front started to get a little tired, so I just went for the lead. This horse is very special to me. He brought me to the Kentucky Derby, which hopefully won’t be a once in a lifetime experience. He’s just a very special horse.”
Pants on Fire is special to Rosie, and the way he looked yesterday, he may be ready to step up and move right to the top of his class. His stablemate won the Belmont, but it is Pants on Fire who is primed to be the star of the second season. One of the key races in the second half is the $1,000,000 Haskell Invitational at this very track next month. Win the Haskell and the Travers and a championship is likely yours to be won. After seeing him yesterday, I believe Pants on Fire will be the horse to beat in the Haskell.
Photo Courtesy of Matt Shifman
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