THE ASPIRING HORSEPLAYER

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a good run from the one time 2007 Kentucky Derby hopeful Circular Quay.  The Todd Pletcher trained son of Gulch returned triumphantly on Saturday to the scene of former glory and triumphed in the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap.  The New Orleans is  a prestigious $500,000 race for four year-olds and upward going 1 1/8 miles.  The win was the first for Circular Quay since last March in the Louisiana Derby.

Circular Quay added blinkers today, which seemed to have made the colt much more involved than we had seen in his last few efforts.  Last May, the colt finished a somewhat respectable 6th in the 20 horse field of the 2007 Kentucky Derby.  Two weeks later he wasn’t really involved in the Preakness showdown between Curlin and Street Sense.  His last two races had seemed to indicate he was headed in the wrong direction, but today Pletcher’s addition of blinkers turned out to be just what the doctor ordered.

As expected, Grasshopper was on the gas early and looking to wire the field.  Circular Quay was rating nicely throughout most of the race in third patiently waiting to strike.  The moment to strike arrived as they approached the final turn, with Garrett Gomez kicking 3 wide and engaged Grasshopper through the stretch.  The two colts battled honorably down the stretch in a most thrilling spectacle, with Circular Quay prevailing by a neck at the wire.  

Grasshopper got a bit of pressure early on from Magna Graduate, but maintained the lead the entire until being caught.  Circular Quay covered the 1 1/8 mile distance in 1:49.8 and returned a whopping $15 for the win.   Grasshopper was second to complete a $43.60 exacta, while the Improving Steve Asmussen trainee Reporting for Duty got up for show honors to round out a $248.60 trifecta. 

Circular Quay and Grasshopper turn in a thriller in the New Orleans Handicap (sorry about the audio).