Elusive Gift Strong Choice in Punch Line

A field of nine horses drew into the $50,000 Punch Line Stakes for Virginia-bred three year olds and up, with Elusive Gift headlining the field as the heavy 3-5 morning line favorite.

Fresh off a win in the John D. Marsh Stakes at the New Kent oval in late May, the Anthony Dutrow-trained Elusive Gift looks to add his fifth win to his resume. The five year old Elusive Quality gelding, bred and owned by Edward P. Evans, has earned nearly $150,000 in eleven starts. Horacio Karamanos has the mount.

Second favorite at 9-2 is That’sthequestion, a Michael Trombetta-trained three year old owned and bred by Larry Johnson. After breaking his maiden at first-asking, the Holy Bull gelding ran in a series of allowance races before giving a mild rally to run third in the John D. Marsh Stakes. That’sthequestion has finished out of the money in just two of six lifetime starts.

At 6-1, third choices Rock to Bop and Jake Rattle ‘N’ Roll were both sired by Virginia stallion Bop. Rock to Bop, who will break from the inside, most recently finished third in the It’s Only Money Stakes at Charles Town in May. He has finished in the money in five of nine starts on dirt, with earnings of $49,260. Jake Rattle ‘N’ Roll, last year’s winner of the Punch Line Stakes, has since won two claiming races and was claimed by Robert Gerzak in his second-most recent start. With a bankroll of over $85,000, the now John Secor-trained five year old has finished out of the money only once at Colonial Downs.

A Reel Buster, winner of the 2008 Punch Line Stakes and second in last year’s running, is the fourth choice at 15-1. The Housebuster gelding has finished out of the money at Colonial Downs once, when he ran eighth in May’s John D. Marsh Stakes after a bumpy start.

Believeinyesterday, Major Bob, Duncan McFly, and Boxer Shorts round out the nine-horse field.