Modern Art an easy winner in Simpson Stakes
August 29, 2004,by Peter Kleinhans, for The Red Mile
Modern Art, the brilliant Artsplace colt who has recently passed the $1,000,000 mark in career earnings, returned to The Red Mile on a stormy Saturday night in Lexington and posted a handy score in a three-year-old colt division of the John Simpson stakes. Joe Holloway, who is off to a flying start this meet, trains the sophomore, who has recently added lasix.
Nigel Soult photo
Modern Art prevailing in the slop at Lexington for Dave Palone.
Dave Palone sent Modern Art right to the front, controlled the pace, and met only one challenge during the contest, when second-choice Mercenary Hall tipped for driver Jason Dillander at the top of the stretch. But Modern Art asserted himself to draw off to an open-length win in 1:53 with Mercenary Hall and Anton dead-heating for the place. Modern Art is owned by the Val D’Or Farms, Theodore Gewertz, Martha Frank, and Milton Frank.
In a battle of promising two-year-olds, Gottamakeithappen emerged victorious in the second race. This Simpson division marked the Red Mile arrival of Mako Sica, fresh off a four-race win streak. But it was Gottamakeithappen, who had been second in all three of his lifetime appearences, who rolled over the wet group in 1:54.3. The Jenna’s Beach Boy colt, another from the hot Holloway barn, is owned by the Roll The Dice stable and was guided to his off-the-pace win by Ray Paver. Village Joshua was second, with the 2-5 Mako Sica settling for third.
The fourth race, another Simpson division for freshman colts, turned into a blowout for the Bob McIntosh-trained All Over The Place. Pilot Don Irvine, Jr. let the long-striding Artsplace colt open a huge lead, hitting the three quarters on top by 6 in 1:25.3. Southwind McGraw, finishing second, was able to make a bit of a dent in the margin through the lane, but All Over The Place, owned by the Bob McIntosh Stables, the CSX stables, and Paul Ysebaert was never threatened, crossing the wire a 5 1/2 length winner in 1:55. Glittering Beaches closed from far back for the show.
The sixth race provided the most thrilling stretch duel of the night, as Thin Blue Line got up in the final strides to take down this Simpson division for two-year-olds in 1:55.4. Mark O’Mara saved ground with the black son of Browning Blue Chip, squeezed out at the top of the lane, and barely edged the favored With Anticipation (Ray Paver) with a spirited rally. The Dick Oldfield-owned and trained youngster had just been scratched in the Review stake at Springfield, but has never been worse than second in his brief career. I T Tech finished well along the pylons but had to settle for third.
The eighth, a Simpson division for three-year-olds, turned into a two-horse battle, with Circle L Kid winning by a head over Yankee Lariat in 1:53. Circle L Kid, trained by Steve Elliot and driven by Dave Palone, had been bothered in his seasonal debut at The Red Mile last week, but worked out a nice two-hole trip tonight to prevail. The Cambest colt, who took a mark of 1:49.4 earlier in a Meadowlands Pace elimination, is owned by John DiSomma of Staten Island, NY. Yankee Lariat, arriving from Flamboro Downs, was a game second in defeat, with Wizsell, a 25-1 outsider, nailing down the show.
In addition to his two Simpson wins, Joe Holloway trained the winner of the Preferred as well. The week’s featured event for older pacers found Holloway’s charge Iced Yankee squeezing through along the pylonsfor Don Irvine, Jr., and getting up in the last stride. Like Modern Art, Iced Yankee is by Jenna’s Beach Boy and is owned by the Val D’Or Farms. Iced Yankee had been beaten by 14, 23 1/2, and 21 1/2 lengths in his last three starts at The Meadowlands, but after getting a two-month break from the races, had signaled his readiness with a 1:53, 10-length win in a qualifier here at The Red Mile. Carolina Place nailed down the place, with Hot Rum third.
Racing at The Red Mile was cancelled due to heavy rains after the ninth race, which was marred by a chain-reaction accident. Driven To Win, the heavy favorite, made a break on the lead for driver Dave Palone. Shattered Halo and Jason Dillander, sitting right on the favorite’s back, was able to avoid the breaking horse but caught his wheel and in so doing clipped Ray Paver’s Perfect Panderosa, who fell, impeding two more horses. After the mud settled, all horses and drivers walked away unharmed, but in need of serious baths. The rainfall was one of the heaviest of the year for the Lexington area, and it is as yet unclear if the rain will continue into Sunday night’s program.