Chelsea Durand Photo

Haul Anchor wires field in Gander

by Brian Bohl

Chester and Mary Broman's Haul Anchor won his second consecutive stakes, going gate-to-wire to capture the second running of the $100,000 Gander for New York-bred 3-year-olds on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Haul Anchor started his 2017 campaign in the same fashion as last year's conclusion by winning at one mile and 70 yards on the inner dirt track. The Bernardini bay colt set the pace ahead of 1-2 favorite Bavaro, going a quarter-mile in 23.47 seconds and the half in 47.14. 

Jockey Cornelio Velazquez maintained the lead out of the final turn and outkicked a charging Carradine in the stretch to win by 1 ½ lengths, hitting the wire in 1:38.95. 

Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Haul Anchor improved to 3-3-0 in seven career starts and won for the second consecutive time after capturing the Damon Runyon with another front-running effort last out on December 29 at the Big A. 

"My horse is a free runner," Velazquez said. "I didn't send him but he went out to the lead, so I let him go. The other day [in the Damon Runyon], it was the same thing. He tries hard, but he likes to be out there [in front]. He goes easy on the lead, he can run second, but he doesn't want to be choked too much."

Off at 7-2, Haul Anchor paid $9.90 on a $2 win wager to increase his career earnings to $203,000.

"He's really matured and come into his own the last couple of months, so this effort today was encouraging," said Joe Lee, assistant to McLaughlin. "The plan coming in was to just break well and get into a good position leaving the rest to Cornelio. Coming into the race, I thought we might get into a speed duel with some of these other horses coming out of sprint races but we were confident in the way he's been training in the mornings, and the trip and ride worked out great for us today."

Carradine, who rallied for third in the Damon Runyon, made a late move again to challenge in the stretch, finishing in the money for a fourth straight start with a runner-up effort for trainer Linda Rice.

Bourbon Empire, who hit the gate out of the break, recovered to finish third for trainer Mark Hennig.

Bavaro, who entered 2-for-2 at six furlongs for trainer Gary Sciacca, was fourth to complete the field. Caledonian was scratched.