Ky. Downs: Private Creed’s late burst wins Juvenile Sprint

Franklin, Ky.

It looked like the heavy favorite had made a decisive, winning move late in Thursday’s Juvenile Sprint Stakes on Thursday at Kentucky Downs.

But Joel Rosario found something extra from Private Creed (5-2), who used a burst of inside speed in the last eight strides to overtake Sharp Aza Tack (1-5) and win the $500,000 listed feature for 2-year-olds going 6 1/2 furlongs on the firm turf.

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“He looked over on the outside,” said Rosario, whose left-handed urging induced that surge in the last 100 yards. “He just looked around a little bit, and I went inside, because (Sharp Aza Tack) came out. If I had gone outside, it was going to be a little too wide.”

Wide is where Sharp Aza Tack, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., first lugged out in the final 200 yards. It was another 50 yards before Ortiz got a response from a right-handed stick. The Sharp Azteca colt then bore hard into the two path alongside Private Creed, who overtook him and won by three-quarters of a length.

“He just got beat,” said Ortiz, who looked more than frustrated after the colt’s first loss in three starts for trainer Doug O’Neill. With three different riders, Sharp Aza Tack won his debut in June at Santa Anita before scoring by 7 1/4 lengths July 30 in the $102,000 Tyro at Monmouth Park.

Conversely, Private Creed came in off a third-place finish Aug. 19 in the $150,000 Skidmore at Saratoga. That, like his debut victory at Ellis Park on July 30, came at 5 1/2 furlongs. Thursday’s extra furlong, the addition of blinkers and a first partnering with Rosario seemed to suit the Jimmy Creed colt who was bought as a yearling by Mike McCarty for $155,000.

“He was focusing, and he broke really well,” Rosario said. “I could have just kept going there (on the lead), but I know those two horses had so much speed, I just wanted to save him and give him a good trip.”

The two horses he referenced were pacesetter Revere Note (52-1), who finished last in the field of five, and Sharp Aza Tack. Private Creed stayed at least 1 1/2 lengths off the pace before his acceleration turning into the stretch.

“He’s improved in all three of his races,” winning trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I thought the addition of blinkers today moved him up. … Joel gave him a dynamite trip, the horse excelled today, and we loved the outcome.”

Accident (27-1) rallied from last to finish third, 4 1/4 lengths behind. He was followed another two lengths back by Bourbon Therapy (10-1). Revere Note withered to finish yet another seven lengths up the track.

The winning time was 1:18.19 on a sunny, breezy, 82-degree day. The early fractions were 22.13, 46.54 and 1:11.46.

Under Kentucky’s penny-breakage law, Private Creed paid $7.58, $2.26 and $2.10. Sharp Aza Tack returned $2.10 and $2.10. A show bet on Accident paid $2.70.

Rosario had just the one victory Thursday at Kentucky Downs, where he set the meet record last year with 17 victories riding the full meet. This time it was his first day at the track since he raced through Monday’s end of the summer meet at Saratoga.

After Asmussen said this race was the summer goal for Private Creed, he did hint that the one-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland could be in the autumn plans.

“Originally he was 5 1/2 on the turf,” Asmussen said. “As we saw today he’s better at 6 1/2, and every one of his races he’s settled a little bit better early. He had a very good finish today. Taking him a mile is a possibility.”