disarm coach vindicated Steve Asmussen’s decision to skip Preakness Stakes (G1) on May 20 with a bold score in $400,000 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) on June 11 at Ellis . Park.
After a tiring first half of the season when gunman The foal ran four races in an 11-week span, including a brave fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1), whose Hall of Fame coach decided to let Disarm let loose a bit and targeted 1 1/8 Matt Winn . While regrouping after his Derby at Asmussen’s Churchill Downs At home, the Thoroughbred Winchell completed four pre-race workouts on Sunday and looked ready for a big effort after his well-deserved hiatus.
#2 Disarm takes $400k Matt Winn S. at Ellis Park under @JRosarioJockey to trainer Steve Asmussen and owner Winchell Purebred! 🏆
Disarm ranked 4th this year #KentuckyDerby!
🎥 #TwinSspiresPlayback pic.twitter.com/4WFyVfARTJ
— Racing TwinSpires (@TwinSpires) June 11, 2023
The sky opens Sunday on the Henderson, Ky., track, and the seven sophomores’ field will slide it across an oval of sloppy, tight Ellis Park. Besides Disarm, the other three opponents—Verification in progress , raise Cain And King Russel —all looking for a bit of redemption after disappointing finishes in the Kentucky Derby.
When the gates opened, it wasn’t the Brad Cox-trained Verification lead, like when he hit near-record rates early in the race for commissions, but the Churchill grant winner. recent impressions Bo Cruz . Hold on to second place by jockey Tyler Gaffalione, Verifying overtook the second-place lead, with Disarm in a tight third along the tracks as the trio made it past the opening quarter with Score: 24.46 and half a mile in: 48.73. Verify attack Bo Cruz first, grab the lead, and try to stay far away as jockey Joel Rosario signals Disarm to fly all the way.
Disarm’s winning connections during trophy presentation to Matt Winn Stakes
Disarm rallied forcefully on the muddy lane, driving by Verify to win half way. He completed nine stretches in a final time of 1:49.59.
Verified, improved by finishing 16th in the Derby, ahead of Bo Cruz in third 4 3/4 of the way.
Rosario said after the race: ‘It’s been a bit wet today, which is always a concern as to how the horses will like it. “(Disarm) seemed to like it and got through the track nicely. It was a very good performance. Steve (Asmussen) told me to put him in position after we broke the gate and let him handle things on his own. At three-eighths, I had to start riding him a bit to keep the position but he reacted very well after that and continued to do so at the end of the lane.
Disarm ($4.24) got his second win of his career and increased his deposit to $720,700.
Videotapes: Matt Winn S. (G3)
Unifying Splashes Home in Leslie’s Overnight Stakes
Back in November unified gave Riley Mott her first win as a coach, and now seven months later, the daughter of rag alliance brought the conditioner the first bet win of his career. One race ahead of Matt Winn, Unity took a three-way lead in Leslie’s Overnight Bets of $173,050 under jockey Cristian Torres.
Merge excursions to win her first bet in Leslie’s Lady Overnight Stakes
After her first score in November, Unification came in second Determine the goal IN Oaklawn ParkHer year-end bet before dropping to the company subsidizing her next four outings. The 3-year-old returned to the winner’s circle in her final start in Hot Springs, sprinting for an optional impressive allowance and claiming the win on May 5.
Never back away from the person in front Warrior BG Early on, Unity engages that enemy in the quarter-post and takes the lead, extending his advantage up the line. The Silk Race by Sheri Greenberg, Staghawk Stables, Tom Reiman and Ronald Johnson, Unifying ($11.90) was timed at 1:23.64 for seven spans on a track listed as sloppy and sealed.
like topsy finished in second with BG Warrior in third.
Videotapes: Leslie’s Lady Overnight S. (BT)
