Dr. W Upsets Mr. Fantasy
Seemingly beaten at the eighth pole, a tenacious Dr. W battled back through the final yards and upset heavily favored Mr. Fantasy to win the $60,000 Billy Redcoat Stakes Wednesday afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Mr. Fantasy, last year’s Grade 3 Withers winner who was making his second start off a lengthy layoff, quickly assumed a narrow lead over Dr. W in the seven-furlong stakes for New York-breds, taking the field through a quarter-mile in 22.91 and a half-mile in 45.36.
Straightening for home, Mr. Fantasy shook clear of Dr. W, opening up by three lengths, but Dr. W refused to quit, coming on again along the inside and getting up by a half-length for his third straight win.
His time for the seven furlongs was 1:22.78.
“He just never stops trying,” said Toby Sheets, assistant to winning trainer Steve Asmussen, of the 5-year-old gelded son of Cat Thief. “He’s all heart.”
Winning jockey David Cohen echoed Sheets’ thoughts.
“He tries so hard all the time,” he said. “What a big heart!”
Sent off at 6-1, Dr. W returned $15.40 for a $2 win bet as he earned $36,000 for Millennium Farms and extended his lifetime record to 9-5-6 from 30 starts.
Mr. Fantasy, who had finished third in his first start of 2010, is now 3-1-2 from six starts for West Point Thoroughbreds.
“He got tired in the last eighth,” said Ramon Dominguez, aboard the 2-5 favorite. “He moved forward off his last race, and I think he’ll move forward off this.”
Completing the order of finish were Uncle T Seven, Love Abroad, Mor Chances, Groomedforvictory, and Good Card.