Honorable Duty takes Tenacious Stakes Saturday at Fair Grounds

DARRS, Inc.’s Honorable Duty ($14, $7.80 and $5.60) gave his ownership its second stakes victory on the day as the Brendan Walsh trainee won the $75,000 Tenacious Stakes by three-quarters of a length under James Graham. Raagheb ($37.80 and $16.40) was a game three-quarter-length runner-up under Mitchell Murrill, While Ten Strike Racing’s Brad Cox-trained Financial Modeling was another 2¼ lengths back in third under Shaun Bridgmohan.

 

After briefly contesting the lead from his rail post in the mile and 70-yard event, Honorable Duty, a son of Distorted Humor, sat in a comfortable rhythm in second while Financial Modeling carved fractions of 23.59, 47.78 and 1:12.43. Looking beaten and appearing to retreat slightly on the far turn, Honorable Duty then found a new gear once the field of nine turned for home, going from fifth to first in an eighth of a mile and winning at the wire with plenty of energy in 1:42.37.

 

David Ross’ DARRS, Inc. won the $75,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes earlier in the card with promising Mike Stidham-trained 3-year-old gelding Proforma. Walsh, winless in his first seven starts at the meet, was elated to get off the duck in a blacktype event.

 

“It feels super,” Walsh said. “He’s a nice horse and I think he’ll win some nice races. We have always thought that. We gelded him and took the blinkers off and James gave him a great ride. He made a second effort like that at Keeneland this year when he broke his maiden. He just digs in and finds more. He’s still improving.”

 

“Brendan told me just keep out of his way and save as much ground as possible,” Graham added. “We got into a good rhythm quick and he finished up really well.”

Honorable Duty, out of the A. P. Indy broodmare Mesmeric, was bred by Juddmonte Farms and is a grandson of the great Broodmare of the Year Toussaud. He won for the fourth time in 10 starts and earned $45,000 to increase his career mark to $186,276.

“Looking at the race there wasn’t a lot of speed, so I encouraged him to get in there earlier, which he did,” Murrill said of his 44-1 runner-up. “He got a little hung up in there on the final turn, but when it opened up, he was digging hard. I was trying to pick him up and put him down as hard as I could, but the winner was just a little better.”

 

“He had to work a bit to get the lead today, but I thought he was trying the whole way,” Bridgmohan said of Financial Modeling the 9-2 morning-line favorite. “He gives you what he has.”

 

Fear the Cowboy, Hesinfront, Great Minds, Dazzling Gem, The Truth Or Else and Tale of Verve completed the order of finish.

 

DARRS Inc.’s Mike Stidham-trained Proforma tracked the pace while three paths off the fence on the turn before confronting the leaders and drawing clear to a three-length win in the $50,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes for juveniles.

 

Ridden by Florent Geroux, the son of Munnings impressed in his most recent start when breaking his maiden in a swift race at Churchill Downs on Nov. 27 and was able to easily best Bret Jones Larry Jones-trained Running Mate, who was sent to post at 2-5 under Gabriel Saez, but could not keep pace with the winner once the field straightened for home. Running Mate stayed on to finish 3½ lengths clear of William McCarty’s Divine Caleb, who was ridden by C. J. McMahon for trainer Karl Broberg. After McMahon claimed foul against Saez, Divine Caleb was elevated to second with Running Mate demoted to third for interference in the lane.

 

“Had a very good trip,” Geroux said. “I was able to track the heavy favorite right off the bat and from there my horse was traveling very well. When I pushed the button, my horse responded.”

“We knew we had [Running Mate] to beat, and he’s a very nice horse,” Stidham added. “Our horse is just really starting to find his way and learn how to run, and today he obviously ran a big race.”

“I didn't get the trip that I wanted,” Saez said. “He started to get a little tired the last 150 yards and didn't run the race I was expecting. At the same time, I think he will be better going two turns next time.”

 

Proforma stopped the clock for six furlongs on the main track in 1:10.72 after tracking early splits of 22.27 and 46.12. In doing so, he won for the second time in three starts and earned $30,690 to boost his bankroll to $71,290. The winner paid $7.20, $4.60 and $2.10. Divine Caleb returned $10.20 and $3, with Running Mate paying $2.10.

 

Keep Talking, At Your Word and Monday Pirate completed the running order.

 

Later on the card, the juvenile fillies had their headliner in the Sugar Bowl’s sister race, the $50,000 Letellier Memorial at six furlongs.

 

William and Corinne Heligbrodt’s Golden Mischief bounced back for trainer Steve Asmussen after a dull run in the Grade III Delta Princess last month, producing a flashy late rally under David Flores while cutting back in distance to post a 2¼-length win. Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s Bret Calhoun-trained pacesetter Flatter Up sped through splits of 21.98 and 45.56 under C. J. McMahon before being overtaken by the winner inside the eighth-pole, while holding a length clear of Twin Creeks Racing Stables and Head of Plains Partners’ Mike Stidham-trained Forest Circle, who finished third under Florent Geroux. The final time was 1:10.90.

 

“Steve wanted me to just put her in the race and then sit on her,” Flores said. “She’s very tactical, and I was patient, saved ground on the turn, and then I just pointed her out and she accelerated.”

 

“She ran an awesome race like I knew she would,” said McMahon. “She ran aggressively and took me right along. When I asked her to finish she kicked on. I don’t want to take anything away from her – she’s an awesome filly – but she just got caught. I think she’ll show a lot more improvement.”

 

Golden Mischief won for the fourth time in eight career starts and earned $30,380 to build her career bankroll to $166,730. The daughter of Into Mischief paid $5, $3 and $2.40. Flatter Up returned $3.40 and $2.60, with Forest Circle paying $2.80.