Sharp Azteca Impressive in Pat Day Mile

Gelfenstein Farm’s Sharp Azteca swept past the pacesetting Imperial Hint at the head of the stretch and cruised to a 2 ½-length victory in the 92nd running of the $250,000 Pat Day Mile Presented by LG&E and KU (GIII) for 3-year-olds.

Trained by Jorge Navarro and ridden by Edgard Zayas, Sharp Azteca covered the mile on a fast track in 1:34.37. It marked the second graded stakes victory of the afternoon for Navarro, who had won the Churchill Downs (GII) with Catalina Red.

Imperial Hint rocketed out of the gate with Sharp Azteca stalking in second through fractions of :22.05 and :44.09. The two leaders maintained their daylight advantage on the field at the head of the stretch when Sharp Azteca spurted clear and never was threatened the rest of the way.

The victory, the first in a stake and the third in a row, was worth $141,050 and raised Sharp Azteca’s earnings to $196,250 with a record of 5-3-1-0. Sharp Azteca is a Kentucky-bred son of Freud out of the Saint Liam mare So Sharp.

Sharp Azteca returned $28.20, $13.20 and $9.60. Forevamo, who rallied for second under Florent Geroux, returned $9.20 and $6 with Star Hill finishing two lengths back in third under Corey Lanerie and paying $9.40 to show.

It was a half-length back to Fellowship in fourth with Lookin for a Kiss, American Freedom, Unbridled Outlaw, American Dubai, Discreetness, Ralis, Gray Sky, Imperial Hint, Cocked and Loaded and Torrontes following in order.

Source: Churchill Downs