It was a disappointing US debut for Godolphin’s Legend of time .
The second attempt was more risky but extremely successful.
Crossing the seam between the horses in the final match at a fortuitous moment, the son of Sea of Stars registered a narrow victory in the end against a determined White Palomino in the $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes (G2T) for 3-year-olds on May 25 at Water racetrack.
Chris Connett, assistant to trainer Charlie Appleby, said: “He’s a nice horse and he’s had a good ride. It would be better if the gap was opened earlier.” “But when it happened, he showed his perseverance. He overcame them and finished very strongly.”
The victory by a head in the one-mile eighty turf stakes came on the heels of a fifth-place effort in the American Turf Stakes (G2T) at Churchill Downs when Legend of Time was a 6-5 favorite going into the May 4 bout with four wins in five starts overseas. Most of the way that day on a well labeled turf course, the son of dancer Danehill The Kissable mare tired in the final furlong and finished fifth, five lengths behind the winner Trikari .
“He finished the race strong, which is why Charlie was willing to roll the dice today and take a chance,” Connett said. “These are fun races to participate in and try to win.”
At Pennine Ridge, Legend of Time wobbled from the start and finished last in sixth place as White Palomino took the lead with fractions of :48.76 and 1:12.98 on the hard turf.
“It was fun to see how he relaxed after his last run,” Connett said. He was more of the horse we expected to see.”
Jockey Joel Rosario held the 4-5 favorite ($3.80) along the inside down the backstretch and looked in vain to move out as the field turned home. Luckily, a connection opened between White Palomino and Cable is ready who was second but drifted out of a lane and dropped to fourth in the final furlong.
Rosario said of the lack of room, “It’s great to ride horses like him. They make it easy. I was worried,” Rosario said of the lack of room, “but I was on the best horse.”
The final time of the nine furlongs was 1:47.73.
Connett said Legend of Time will be moved to Godolphin’s Greentree training center at Saratoga Race Course and that the July 6 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) was “on the radar.”
White Palomino by James Bakke and Gerald Isbister, son of Kitten joy Trained by Chad Brown, placed second by 1/4 length over Besilu Stables’ rally Emperor One Frankel The colt was trained by Bill Mott, who also lacked space in the course and had to return late.
Flavien Prat, the driver of the White Palomino, said: “The trip was amazing.” “I think the job is done. But Godolphin is behind us, he has the best horse.”
The top three finishers all received invitations to the quarter-mile Belmont Derby.
Legend of Time was purchased for the equivalent of $174,613 from the New England Stud consignment in the Tattersalls October sale. With Saturday’s win, he has five wins in seven tries for earnings of $393,771.
Take risks the 3-1 second choice at the morning line, was scratched by the track’s vet during the warm-up, reducing the field to six.
🏆Pennine Ridge Stake (G2)
1,800 m – 200,000 USD – for 3yo
🇺🇸 Belmont At Big ALegend of Time (GB)
(3C Sea The Stars-Kissable, by Danehill Dancer)
J :Joel Rosario
T:Charles Appleby
O:Godolphin pic.twitter.com/221xZJTfR5— 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙𝙍𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 (@WorldRacing1) May 25, 2024
