Kentucky Derby prep shock: 23-1 Raise Cain upsets Gotham
New York
A Gotham Stakes with a full field of 14 horses was unexpected, and so was the result of the race when Raise Cain rallied from next to last to win Saturday by 7 1/2 lengths.
The unexpected continued at Aqueduct for the winning trainer Ben Colebrook, who saddled Raise Cain and then left the track prior to the running of the Grade 3, $300,000 race to take an Uber to the airport. He wanted to get to Turfway Park to look after Scoobie Quando in the John Battaglia Memorial, another Kentucky Derby prep.
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Speaking from his ride to Kennedy Airport, which is where he actually watched the race, a giddy Colebrook said, “If I can get to the airport and get on this flight, I can get to Turfway and saddle my horse.”
Raise Cain, who was sent off at odds of 23-1, was making his second start on the road to the Derby, having finished second in the Gun Runner at Fair Grounds on Dec. 26. He earned 50 qualifying points in the Gotham to go with four he earned in New Orleans. With his 54 points, the son of Violence is basically guaranteed a spot in the starting gate May 6.
Raise Cain came to New York with only an October maiden victory to his credit but had gained experience in three stakes races.
“He finally had some pace to run into, and I think that’s what he’s been missing to be honest,” Colebrook said. “He never really had any pace to close into except in his maiden win. I don’t know that it’s necessarily one turn that he needs, but I definitely think pace to close into is what he needs, because he’s such a relaxed horse, and he can make that one big run like he did today.”
In the Gotham, Raise Cain broke from post position 12 and settled in at the back of the pack. The winning jockey Jose Lezcano moved to the inside after racing three wide in the early going and began to pass horses. Nearing the quarter-pole Lezcano had to check in traffic but was then able to get clear after moving to the outside. Once clear, he accelerated and drew off convincingly.
“My horse broke very sharp,” Lezcano said. “I let him break running away from there, and when I passed the chute, I saw everybody looking and going outside. I crossed outside to inside, and my horse did everything so easy. He did whatever I asked him to do. When I tried to go through a horse came over. and I had to check a little bit and go around. My horse did it very easy. He's a very light horse, and when I asked him, he got right back into the race."
The early pace was set by Carmel Road, the undefeated Recruiter and the post-time favorite Eyeing Clover, who set early fractions of 22.52 and 45.53 seconds, which are fast for Aqueduct. Only Eyeing Clover survived the pace and finished fourth. The top three finishers in the race rallied from 11th, 12th and 13th in the early going.
Raise Cain paid $49, $14.60, and $9.10 for $2 win, place and show wagers. He topped a $2 exacta that paid $162.50 and a $2 trifecta that returned $162.50. The Derby points of 50-20-15-10-5 went to Raise Cain, Slip Mahoney, General Baker, Eyeing Clover and Clear the Air.
The winning time was 1:38.09 for the one-turn mile in the sealed mud.
Colebrook already was considering his option for the next two months in preparation for the run for the roses.
“It’s too early to tell, but we’re nominated to the Blue Grass (G1 at Keeneland), and we’ll nominate to the Wood Memorial (G2 at Aqueduct). It’ll probably be one of those two races, and we’ll see how it plays out and go to whichever race looks like the best option. You got a race in your own back yard and a race that he’s shipped and won over the track.”
Jockey J.D. Acosta was unseated by Howgreatisnate at the start. The previously undefeated colt circled the field and actually led in the stretch before Raise Cain caught him, too. A New York Racing Association spokesperson said Acosta was "in good order." after the race.