Om ends prolonged winless drought in Thunder Road Stakes
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Photo:
Benoit Photo
Winless since December 26, 2017, the Dan Hendricks-conditioned Om took charge early and never relinquished his advantage in what appeared to be the best performance of his life in taking Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Thunder Road Stakes by a half length at Santa Anita. Ridden aggressively by Flavien Prat, Om got a flat mile on turf in 1:33.54 and with the winner’s share of $60,000, he became racing’s newest millionaire.
Breaking from the outside in a field of six, he out-footed favored Blackjackcat into the first turn and opened up what looked like a nine-length advantage at the half mile pole. Heading into the far turn, it appeared Om was going to be swallowed up by an on-rushing Bowies Hero and the favorite, but he seemed to find another gear turning for home and would not be denied in a spectacular effort.
“He ran an incredible race," said winning pilot Prat. "Once he got in the lead I was able to just let him go. Had great speed and I knew that once we got on the inside he would just carry it through. He remained calm and was able to hold them off. He’s incredibly fast and I just let him work.”
Winless in his last 12 starts, Om was an even fourth in a minor stakes going 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course Jan. 1. A 6-year-old full horse by Munnings, he was off at 9-2 and paid $11.40, $4.80 and $3.40.
Owned by the Sareen Family Trust, Om, who’s last win came in Santa Anita’s Grade II Mathis Brothers Mile, improved his overall mark to 23-6-5-6. With the winner’s share, his earnings stand at $1,001,645.
“Once entries were taken and we had the outside post, and there wasn’t a dominant speed horse in there like there’s been in all his races recently, we decided to just go ahead and get him on the lead like he’s very comfortable doing," said O'm conditioner Dan Hendricks.
“I was worried more at the half-mile pole than I was at the quarter pole because he had gotten a little rank on Flavien after he got him out there that quickly. He opened up a bigger lead than you ever want toil open up, but he got him to relax great down the backside, and when they started to come to him at the quarter pole, you could tell he had a lot left, so I felt more comfortable then than I did at the half-mile pole.
“The Kilroe (Grade I, $400,000, mile on turf March 10) has always been our objective since after the Breeders’ Cup. That’s why I didn’t give him the break in January like I did in the previous years.”
Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Bowies Hero outran Blackjackcat around the far turn and appeared to many observers to be a cinch for the win, but had to settle for second, as held off the late run of Next Shares by a head.
Off at 2-1, Bowies Hero paid $3.40 and $3.00.
Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Next Shares rallied from last and finished 2 ¾ lengths in front of Tequila Joe. Off at 5-1, Next Shares paid $4.00 to show.
Blackjackcat finished a well beaten fifth under Kent Desormeaux. Trainer Mark Glatt offered no excuses. “He was flat. We’re just gonna have to regroup here and make sure everything’s okay.”
Fractions on the race, all set by the winner, were 22.58, 45.75, 1:10.11 and 1:21.77.
NOTES: The winning owner is Sareen Family Trust.
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