Debt Ceiling Draws Away in Bashford Manor
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Photo:
Eclipse Sportswire
Tim O’Donohue’s Debt Ceiling,
the lone juvenile with stakes experience in the field of seven
2-year-olds, swept to the lead midway around the turn and drew off
to a 2 ¾-length win over Hollywood Talent in the 112th running of the $107,700 Bashford Manor (Grade III) on Saturday night at Churchill Downs.
First
run in 1902, the Bashford Manor – the first open graded stakes race of
the year for 2-year-olds – is one of Churchill Downs’ most
storied races. It is named for the former Louisville Thoroughbred
breeding and racing farm that dominated the American racing scene in the
early 1900s. George J. Long,
a wealthy foundry owner, purchased Bashford Manor Farm in 1887 and developed his Thoroughbred operation that provided him two Derby wins as an owner, 1892 (Azra)
and 1906 (Sir Huon), and three as a breeder, 1892 (Azra), 1899 (Manuel)
and 1906 (Sir Huon). In addition, Bashford Manor also won the Kentucky Oaks in 1894 (Selika) and 1915 (Kathleen).
The original Wilder family owned Bashford Manor. The Wilders were direct descendants of Lord Baltimore,
whose English home was also called Bashford Manor. Long died in 1930 and
the farm was eventually sold in 1973 to make way for the development of
a mall complex, fittingly named Bashford Manor, that formally closed in
2003.
Earlier on the 11-race program, Right to Vote
won the $60,325 Kelly’s Landing, an overnight stakes for 3-year-olds
and up. The 4-year-old gelded son of Political Force clocked seven
furlongs in 1:22.44 under
leading rider Shaun Bridgmohan, who collected his sixth stakes win of the meet, to beat favorite Laurie’s Rocket by five lengths. Owned by J. Lee Didier’s B J D Thoroughbreds, LLC and trained by Ron Moquett,
Right to Vote,
who paid $12.20 to win as the 5-1 longest-priced horse in the field of
four, banked $39,360 and improved his record to 12-4-2-3—$233,864.
BASHFORD MANOR QUOTES
Tim O’Donohue, owner of Debt Ceiling, winner: “This is my second stakes horse, but I have a feeling this is going to be the best horse I’ve ever owned.”
Q. You will probably get some offers for this horse. Would you consider selling him? “You know when you’re a little kid and you have dreams? My dream was this. I don’t think you can put a price on it. The price would have to be something that boggles the mind to quit this dream right now.”
Q. What are your thoughts on winning this race where they run the Kentucky Derby next spring? “It’s absolutely amazing. I was lucky enough to come here in 2007 when my brother-in-law (Mario Pino) rode Hard Spun in the Kentucky Derby. That was as close to the dream as I’ve gotten. My wife and I both said that we’re not coming back to the Derby until we have our own horse in it. Who knows? It’s a little early, but you can always dream.”
Note: Tim O’Donohue, 50, lives in
Parkland, Fla. and owns an IT staffing business. He owns seven horses in
training and says he has owned horses for 30 years.
Jerry Robb, trainer of Debt Ceiling, winner:
“The first race, I didn’t expect him to win. He did it on raw talent.
The last two races, we went in feeling very confident. There were really
no other races on the east
coast for him. This was the closest around and I’m glad we came.”
Q. Were you worried at all about running on a sloppy track? “Well I was watching the races earlier and speed was winning everything. So I figured the rain could only help us.”
Q. How good do you think this horse is? “He’s done everything I’ve asked him to”
Q. Where do you go from here? “We’ll probably go to Saratoga with him.”
Eric Camacho, rider on Debt Ceiling, winner:
“We’ve always known this horse has had talent. The plan today was to
let the two speed horses (My Corinthian and Hollywood Talent) go and sit
off them. So I just sat back
and took my time. When it was time to go, he told me when to go. I
passed them so fast. I was a little worried that I moved too early, but I
had so much horse that when it was time to go I had to go.”
John Velazquez, rider on Hollywood Talent, runner-up:
“He ran very green, with the track obviously being wet and the shadows
from the poles and everything. He ran a good race, but I thought he
could have run better
than that. He was going fast, but he was not really paying attention to
what he was doing.”
Dane Kobiskie, trainer of My Corinthian, third:
“I was super impressed. This horse is not very focused in the morning
and he’s done everything so easily. So it was his first experience to
actually realize what’s going
on in his races now. So I expect him to move forward leaps and bounds
after this race. He’s naturally a very fast horse. I didn’t know he
was that quick. I knew he was quick, but I didn’t know he was that
quick. So I’m happy.”
Luis Garcia, rider on My Corinthian, third:
“He’s a nice horse. It was his second time out and on the mud, and he
didn’t feel like he was going that fast. But he’s a real nice horse.
He’s still getting his mind in
the game and all that, but at this rate he’ll be tough.” (Note: this was
Garcia’s first mount at Churchill Downs)
Rosie Napravnik, rider on 6-5 favorite D’cajun Cat, fifth: “I don’t know. He just wasn’t the same horse I rode last time.”
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