Something Awesome bests War Story in Charles Town Classic
Something Awesome scored his biggest win yet in Saturday’s Grade 2, $1.2 million Charles Town Classic, running down the favorite, War Story and extending his win streak to three. It also marked his fifth win in six starts with trainer Jose Corrales.
A homebred for Stronach Stables, Something Awesome appeared to be a late bloomer. The Awesome Again gelding was born in 2011 and made two starts in 2014. He also only made two starts in 2015 before taking over a year off and earning his first win in maiden claiming at age five with trainer Daniel Vella.
Something Awesome stayed with Vella through the bulk of 2017, running mostly in allowance races, before making a winning debut for Corrales in November. The gelding followed that up with another win, a third in the Fire Plug Stakes, then wins in the Grade 3 General George and Harrison E. Johnson Memorial Stakes.
In the Charles Town Classic, Grade 1 winner Diversify took to the lead with Afleet Willy waiting to challenge. War Story, fresh off a win in the Challenger Stakes, sat behind the leaders with Something Awesome waiting behind him.
Diversify, making his first start since November, set an easy pace with fractions of :24.34 and :48.48. Afleet Willy then moved up to challenge for the lead, followed by a run from War Story, Something Awesome, and a charge from Fear the Cowboy near the back of the pack.
Diversify failed to answer and it became a three-horse stretch battle between War Story, Afleet Willy and Something Awesome. War Story looked like he might hold on but Something Awesome dug in under jockey Edgar Prado and hit the wire first, winning by a neck.
The time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:50.84.
Off at 9-1, the winner returned $20.60. War Story, Fear the Cowboy, Afleet Willy, You're to Blame, Discreet Lover and Diversify completed the order of finish.
The Charles Town Classic marked the ninth win in 24 starts for Something Awesome, with his share of the purse boosting his earnings to $1,082,051.