Chelsea Durand Photo

Run Carson runs rivals off their feet in $135K Carle Place

by Christian Abdo

Tom F. McCrocklin and NBS Stable’s Run Carson ran his eight rivals off their feet to win Friday’s $135,000 Carle Place, a six-furlong outer turf sprint for sophomores, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Kelsey Danner, the Maclean’s Music bay rebounded from a last-out sixth in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance on October 6 at Keeneland. In Friday’s victory, he was making his seventh career start - all this year - and earned his first career stakes score after a neck defeat in the Listed Mahony in August at Saratoga Race Course prior to his last effort.

Danner said the pacesetting Run Carson, who had never dictated the terms in his six prior starts, was comfortable on the front end.

“I thought he was sitting on a big race and had a bad trip at Keeneland, so I thought, ‘let’s wheel back into this race.’ He’s a quick horse, and when he got an easy lead, it was all over after that,” Danner said. “Tom McCrocklin sent him to me as a baby and said he was the fastest horse on his farm for a half-mile at least. He’s just been really quick. He’s a small horse, but he’s just very quick.”

Piloted by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, Run Carson broke alertly from post 4 and quickly took command from Twisted Filigree to his outside who settled into second position as Barksdale hustled up to third through an opening quarter-mile in 21.75 seconds on the firm turf.

Run Carson held a comfortable advantage over the George Weaver-trained Twisted Filigree through the turn and into the stretch, rattling off a half-mile in 43.97 and five-eighths in 55.34. At that point, the race seemed like a foregone conclusion, but another Weaver trainee in Live High Live Low was commencing a rally from midpack under Manny Franco.

Live High Live Low showed good energy in his late run, but could only get up for second as Run Carson crossed the wire 2 1/4 lengths in front in a final time of 1:06.85 - close behind the course record of 1:06.73 set by Outlaw Kid in July.

It was 2 1/4 lengths back to post-time favorite Works for Me, who closed from last-to-third, with first-time turfer Little Ni rounding out the superfecta. Twisted Filigree, Smokey Smokey, Typhoon Fury, Barksdale, and One Sharp Cookie completed the order of finish.

Danner said a potential next start for Run Carson would be against elders in the six-furlong Listed $150,000 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship on November 9 here.

“We’ll probably come back for that,” said Danner. “There’s not many options right now. Turfway has a $250,000 race on the Tapeta in December too [the Holiday Cheer], so that’s also an option.”

Velazquez said Run Carson was comfortable as he cruised through sharp early splits.

“Trust me, there was no way I was going to do anything different once he broke. Second jump, he was on the bridle already. I said, 'don't fight me so much.' I got him tight the best I could and dropped to the rail and he got stronger,” Velazquez said. “I had a hold almost until the quarter-pole and that's when I eased up and he threw the ears a little bit, made a switch and he gave me that spurt again.

“It's nice when you have a horse like this that's going fast the first part and then you ask again, and they give you a little more,” Velazquez added.

Franco said Live High Live Low, a four-time winner in nine previous starts, was a good second behind an impressive foe.

“Second best today. The winner just never stopped - he ran big. My horse ran big too. He finished up well, but the winner just kept going,” Franco said.

Bred in Kentucky by Jeff Greenhill and Sherri Greenhill, Run Carson was a $145,000 purchase at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale. He is out of the winning Mutakddim mare Schefflera, making him a full-brother to dual stakes-winner Moves Like Magic.

Run Carson banked $74,250 in victory while improving his record to 7-3-1-2 and returning $8.60 for a $2 win bet.

Live racing resumes Saturday at Belmont at the Big A with a 12-race card that features the Listed $150,000 Awad [Race 3] and the Listed $150,000 Athenia [Race 10]. First post is 12:10 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Belmont at the Big A fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

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