After posting a massive 5 1/2 length win on February 11 Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct race trackthe candy ride pony impressions won 20 points in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and made his debut on Churchill Downs‘ chart in fourth place.
Hit Show owners, Gary and Mary West, last hit the Derby Trail in 2019 with Maximum security .
Westerners experienced all sorts of emotions on May 4, 2019 in the 145th run of the Kentucky Derby, when Florida Derby (G1) Maximum Security winners crossed the finish line first with 1 3/ 4 lengths in a wiring performance but was subsequently disqualified by management for long-term interference. Maximum security rated as cost-competitive War of wills And Long range Toddy a better position after turning into their path near the five-sixteenth post, thus giving up the Derby trophy for a 65-1 long shot Country house who regrouped in second place.
Maximum security ends on the wire in the 2019 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs
Maximum Security went on to earn $12,431,900 in income for the Westerners, who lobbied the horse in partnership with Susan Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, and Derrick Smith. The five-time 1st grade winner stands at the Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky., for an advertised fee of $10,000 in 2023.
Videotapes: Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1)
“It’s hard to win one on the Derby Trail; we figured that out,” said Ben Glass, Wests race director. “And even if you get one there from time to time, it doesn’t always go smoothly. Having a good horse is fun. No one knows how good it is, we won’t be so crazy. crazy when I was in 3rd grade, but it was fun.”
Hit Show is Wests’ second pony faucet mare Actress, who won Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) and Comely Stakes (G3) for owners in 2017. The 3-year-old just started his career for the fourth time for coach Brad Cox, and his first. this year, in Withers. He impressively broke his girlhood when he debuted last fall at Keeneland before finishing fourth in the two-pass Churchill subsidy contest. In his attempt against Withers, gray missed the 3 and a half length record in the one-mile allowable race at Oaklawn Park December 17 to end his 2-year campaign.
“He was pretty green (last year),” Glass said. “Brad worked hard on this horse and always loved it, was hooked by it. Hats off to Brad – he did a great job.”
Stretching to 1 1/8 mile in Withers, the Hit Show was bumped from the start and was decently judged in fifth place under jockey Manny Franco before fueling the lead team home. Hit Show glides to the wire, pricks his ears, stops the clock at 1:54.71.
The Withers has been postponed from its original date of February 4 after New York state was ravaged by arctic temperatures. Hit Show is still at Cox’s Belmont Park barn and trained in New York until the race.
“It’s been going pretty well; I think the extra week has helped everyone a little bit,” Glass said. “Franco rode him perfectly; he sat there on the safe ground, an ABC textbook race. He rode a good race, and the horse ran a good race. Everyone Everyone’s happy, and that’s what really matters.”
While the Hit Show’s next immediate goal has yet to be carved in the rock, the foal can be next seen during the April 8 Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) at the Aqueduct en route to the Classic race. on May 6 at Churchill Downs.
Glass added: “It’s going to be Brad’s call, whatever he wants to do, he’s done an excellent job with all of our horses and we couldn’t be happier. .”
Videotapes: Withers S. (G3)
