JD Thoroughbreds LLC and Joey Keith Davis' Tejano Twist, a late-running son of Ashford Stud sire Practical Joke, rallied from far back off a swift pace and won the $200,000 Whitmore (G3) Saturday under Francisco Arrieta.
Sent off the favorite, the chestnut gelding trained by Chris Hartman scored by 1 ½ lengths and covered the six-furlong trip in 1:09.27 on a fast track.
Miles Ahead was up for second, finishing three-quarters of a length in front of third-place Edge to Edge, who led in early stretch but was no match for the top two, including winning stablemate Tejano Twist.
While Tejano Twist relaxed in ninth in the 10-horse field, Cogburn led through the opening quarter mile in 22:22 before Edge to Edge took charge and clocked :45.27 for the half mile.
Angling five wide around the turn, Tejano Twist effortlessly accelerated when called on and won going away under left-handed urging.
Tejano Twist, who is out of the Cuvee mare Haley's Lolipop, returned $5.80 as the favorite upon winning his second of three start this year and first in a graded stakes. Overall, he has a 7-6-1 record from 22 lifetime starts and $763,604 in earnings.
Tejano Twist was bred in Kentucky by Tom Durant.
Whitmore Stakes Quotes:
Winning jockey Francisco Arrieta, Tejano Twist: “He's a nice horse. He's got a great kick, man, that horse. I just let him run. So impressed how fast he went.”
Winning trainer Chris Hartman, Tejano Twist, also third with Edge to Edge: “I thought (Edge to Edge) might be having them at the top of the lane. I thought he might have had them. He was cruising on the lead. He had company, but it looked like he had horse left. Tejano outkicked him coming down the lane. It was a good race.”
The post ‘He’s Got A Great Kick’: Tejano Twist Makes The Grade With Powerful Rally In Oaklawn’s Whitmore appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
