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Whittington Park up in time in $100K Haynesfield

by Mary Eddy

Ten Strike Racing’s Whittington Park notched his first stakes victory with a well-timed ride from Kendrick Carmouche in Saturday’s $100,000 Haynesfield, a one-turn mile for older New York-breds, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Jeremiah Englehart, the 5-year-old Midnight Lute horse was urged quickly down the backstretch by Carmouche to steadily make up ground throughout and set his sights at leader Anejo at the top of the lane. He rolled home a half-length winner to double up on victories after a last-out open-company allowance score going the Haynesfield distance on January 27 here, his first start off a five-month respite after an off-the-board finish at Saratoga Race Course.

"That was the plan all along to give him a couple races in Saratoga and eventually give him a little bit of a break and try and come back and take advantage of some winter racing, which he had success in last year,” said Englehart. “We thought we could knock out a couple open conditions and possibly a New York-bred stake, but we went for the stake this time because he's been doing so well."

Mama’s Gold emerged sharpest of all in the field of six as Whittington Park exited the inside post in good order and trailed in last exiting the chute. Mama’s Gold marked the opening quarter-mile in 23.72 seconds over the fast footing. Maker’s Candy tracked a close second as Carmouche made an early move with Whittington Park to angle outside of foes and take up fourth position on even terms with Overstep, who stumbled at the start.

The Dylan Davis-piloted Anejo, who stalked in third down the backstretch, made a decisive move in the two-path rounding the turn to take a clear advantage from a backpedaling Mama’s Gold as the half-mile elapsed in 47.80 and a loaded Whittington Park made steady progress while going four-wide.

Maker’s Candy came under a ride from Jose Lezcano exiting the turn, but lost ground quickly and was pulled up as a freewheeling Anejo held a 5 1/2-length advantage at the top of the stretch through three-quarters in 1:13.15. But Whittington Park loomed large in the center of the course as Carmouche went to a right-handed crop near the eighth pole and inched closer with every stride. A valiant Anejo relinquished the lead in the shadow of the wire as Whittington Park got up just in time to complete the course in a final time of 1:39.88.

Post-time favorite Dr Ardito, who was last down the backstretch, made up ground late to claim show honors 10 3/4 lengths back of Anejo with Overstep rounding out the superfecta and Mama’s Gold completing the order of finish. Maker’s Candy was vanned off.

Carmouche, who had been aboard Whittington Park in each of his last three starts before the Haynesfield, said the bay was professional in victory.

“Just sitting back there and relaxing, that is what he wants and every time you tighten your reins you can feel him starting to pick it up, pick it up, pick it up,” Carmouche said. “He really doesn’t like you to ride him around the turn, so when he switches leads, you can see him, I mean he just is in a full-out run to catch this horse.

“I had him every step of the way,” Carmouche added about the runaway Anejo. “I wasn’t worried.”

Englehart said Whittington Park benefited greatly from his freshening.

"He just seems like he has a lot more desire and knows what he wants to do. You give him a target now and he wants to run the horse down,” said Englehart. “Last year, a couple races, Kendrick would say he would just wait and make spotty moves. Now, he's putting himself in the position rather than having to have Kendrick urge him somewhere. A lot of those Midnight Lutes seem to get better as they get older."

A homebred for Ten Strike Racing’s Marshall Gramm and Clay Sanders, Whittington Park landed his sixth lifetime victory and has hit the board in 6-of-7 starts at the one-mile distance. He banked $55,000 in victory and improved his lifetime record to 17-6-1-5 while returning $27.20 for a $2 win wager.

Englehart added he has no firm plans for a next race for Whittington Park, who is a half-brother to stakes-winners Looms Boldly and Critical Value.

"We'll see how he comes back from this race and go from there. We'll take a look at what our options are,” said Englehart. “For Marshall, being a homebred and the third stakes winner out of the mare, it only helps the family. It's all icing on the cake from here."

Davis expressed his pride in the effort from the Doug O’Neill-trained Anejo, who made his first start since a third-place effort in a May allowance at Belmont Park.

“I get along with him well. I just wanted to break well and get him in a comfortable spot,” said Davis, who has piloted Anejo to three victories. “He usually finds himself further back but today he knew what he had to do. He was aggressive today. He charged the gate twice, then broke alright, and I put him outside and he really grabbed me.

“I was kind of getting in his way, keeping the bridle on him then made a move near the three-eighths pole. Maybe a touch early, but he was all forward and just got caught late,” Davis continued. “He has not run in a while but I thought he ran a great race, they had him ready, just unlucky getting caught in that last part.”

Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with a nine-race card, featuring the $100,000 Gander in Race 8. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.