HALLANDALE BEACH, Florida, (CMC) – Barbadian trainer Saffie Joseph Jr extended his success at Gulfstream Park when his favourite Drain the Clock crushed the three-year-olds to win the US$75 000 Limehouse Stakes on Saturday’s 11-race card.
With Edgard Zayas in the saddle, the Slam Dunk Racing-owned chestnut colt crushed the seven-horse field by 7-½ lengths to return a time of one minute, 10.11 seconds going six furlongs at the southeastern United States racing oval.
“It was really impressive. He impressed me today,” Joseph said afterwards.
“He was always highly thought of. He was impressive in his debut. His second win was more workmanlike than impressive. Last time, it was a bit of a mishap. We got him back today and he showed up.”
In a six furlong sprint in race seven – one of five stakes on the day’s card – Zayas broke Drain the Clock sharply to chase pacesetter Warrior’s Pride, who took the field through a brisk gallop to post 21.78 for the quarter mile and 44.83 for the half.
Tiger chased two lengths back in third while Newyearsblockparty sat in fourth, pulling the trailing bunch along.
When Warrior’s Pride faded at the top of the stretch, Zayas opened up the throttle aboard Drain the Clock and he stormed to the finish strongly to win impressively.
“It was a pretty smooth trip. He broke sharp out of the gate,” said Zayas.
“My only worry was that he was moving a little bit in the gate, but everything worked out really well. I was just trying to keep him in the clear and he did it all.”
The victory was one of two on the card for Joseph who also sent out Slam Dunk Racing’s 12-5 chance Rijeka for a narrow victory in race six over a 1-½ miles.
Up against the four-year-olds and upward, jockey Jose Ortiz raced the five-year-old chestnut gelding well off the pace before closing strongly to get up in the final metres to beat King of Spades by a head in a tight four-horse battle.
