Radio Red edges clear for first stakes win in $135K Haynesfield

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s Radio Red emerged from a host of contenders to secure his first stakes victory in Sunday’s $135,000 Haynesfield, a one-turn mile for older New York-breds, on Closing Day of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

Trained by Danny Gargan, the 6-year-old The Big Beast gelding stepped up in class from a 3 1/2-length claiming score sprinting seven furlongs on February 19 here that earned a career-best 96 Beyer Speed Figure. Radio Red validated that performance with a game victory on Sunday under Kendrick Carmouche, who also won the Listed Top Flight aboard Scalable among three scores on the card.

Radio Red was previously 0-for-2 at one mile, including when fourth in this race last year under Carmouche. 

“This horse, I didn’t think he would make the distance,” said Carmouche. “I stayed very quiet on him, very patient. I knew I had an eighth of a mile to get it out of him and he held on.”

Radio Red exited the outermost post 7 in good order and settled into fourth position behind Donegal Surges as Prince Valiant showed the way while taking pressure from longshot Dr. Kraft through the opening quarter-mile in 23.02 seconds over the fast main track. 

Prince Valiant, who entered off a local February allowance wiring that earned a 99 Beyer, kicked it up a few notches down the backside to mark the half-mile in 45.15 while a pesky Dr. Kraft stuck to his hip. Radio Red maintained close watch with an outside stalking fourth position, but there was still work to be done as three-quarters elapsed in 1:09.34.

Once straightened for home, Prince Valiant lived up to his name as he battled Dr. Kraft despite setting sharp fractions. As those two duked it out, Radio Red edged past in the final furlong with the jump on the Jaime Rodriguez-piloted Quick to Accuse and General Banker, both rallying from farther back.

The closers gained with every stride as Quick to Accuse was navigated between Radio Red and the early pacesetters with General Banker coming down the center of the course, but Radio Red’s jump was enough for a three-quarter-length victory over Quick to Accuse in a final time of 1:37.35. 

General Banker finished a half-length back in third, followed by Dr. Kraft, the Gargan-trained Russian Realm and Prince Valiant, the latter three separated by a head each. Donegal Surges, the favorite, rounded out the order of finish after fading in the turn. 

National Identity, a third entrant trained by Gargan, and Smilensaycheese were scratched. 

“Thanks to Danny Gargan and Dean Reeves – they took a shot at running him a mile again,” Carmouche said, also thankful for the big day. “You can’t beat it. I’m just glad the horses were healthy and running hard today.”

Rodriguez said the Panagiotis Synnefias-trained Quick to Accuse was game in defeat. 

“He ran good. The way the race set up, I saw all the horses going for the lead, so I decided to sit with him and save some ground,” Rodriguez said. “I was following Kendrick and when Kendrick moved, I said, ‘let me go now.’ He slowed down a little around the three-sixteenths and I had to get after him again but once we got to the top of the lane, he split horses and gave me a run at the end. I think three more jumps, and we’d get them.”

Bred by Windylea Farm-New York, Radio Red, a $10,000 purchase at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale, is out of the Majesticperfection mare Perfect Remark. He earned $74,250 in victory while improving his record to 20-6-5-2 and returning $11.32 for a $2 win bet.

Live racing resumes Thursday on Opening Day of the spring meet at Aqueduct Racetrack with an eight-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

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