Keeneland: Highway Robber sets records in Sycamore

Highway Robber stuck his nose in front of Godolphin’s defending winner Bold Act right at the finish line, doing so in stakes- and course-record time in the 30th running of the Grade 3, $300,000 Sycamore Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at Keeneland.

Owned by Susan and Jim Hill, trained by Brian Lynch and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Highway Robber completed the 1 1/2 miles over a turf course labeled as firm in 2:26.08. The victory, which made Highway Robber a millionaire, was the fourth of the afternoon for Gaffalione.

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Cathkin Peak raced on an isolated lead and reeled off fractions of 23.16, 46.51, 1:11.02 and 1:36.66 as Highway Robber ran near the back of the pack.

“Most definitely,” Gaffalione said when asked if he liked the way the early pace materialized. “On form it looked like it could set up that way. My horse was in a nice, even tempo. I was happy with where I was, and that was my main concern at that point.”

“It was very much a tactical jockeys’ race, wasn’t it?” Lynch said. “That turns everything around when you get them going so quick in front like that. Tyler seemed to ride him so comfortably, and he had a good tempo going. We just had to pray the traffic opened up, and he could get through when he got through.”

Cathkin Peak carried his advantage into the far turn with Dataman and Sugoi closing in along with Bold Act, who had raced in the clear all the way.

At the top of the stretch, Bold Act was in high gear and hit the front at the three-sixteenths pole. Behind him coming five wide was Highway Robber who drew on even terms at the eighth pole setting up the duel to the wire.

“He’s push button with a tremendous turn of foot,” Gaffalione said. “Obviously we had to battle a little bit down the lane, but I never really was worried. He just kind of waited when he got up to (Bold Act).”

“It was such a game effort to head-bob Charlie Appleby’s horse out,” Lynch said, “because (Appleby’s horses) are hard to get by.”

Highway Robber is a 4-year-old, gelded, Kentucky-bred son of Hard Spun out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Yabba. The victory, his first in a graded stakes, was worth $172,050 and increased Highway Robber’s earnings to $1,001,063 with a record of 11: 5-2-1.

Sent off as the favorite in the field of 11, Highway Robber returned $7.18, $3.88 and $3.14. Bold Act, ridden by Luis Sáez, returned $4.28 and $3.66 and finished 4 1/4 lengths in front of Utah Beach, who paid $5.82 to show under Jose Ortiz.

It was another three-quarters of a length back to Dataman, who was followed in order by Sugoi, Tawny Port, Big Blue Line, Ohana Honor, Cathkin Peak, Always Above and Verstappen.

Lynch said he expects to race Highway Robber in 2025.

“He is certainly trying to get better, and he’s certainly found his niche in these marathon races,” he said. “We really look forward to him as a 5-year-old. He’s still only a very lightly raced horse. At Gulfstream, we’ve got the Pegasus (World Cup) Turf (G1 on Jan. 25), so hopefully he can continue on that level. We really look forward to him next year as a 5-year-old.”