After winning two straight races in gate-to-wire fashion, Power in Numbers found himself in an unfamiliar stalking position in the early stages in Sunday's four-horse Tale of the Cat Stakes at Monmouth Park.
Jockey Samy Camacho simply adjusted accordingly.
Making his move midway through the final turn, Camacho and Power in Numbers hooked up with longshot Arrebato for a good portion of the stretch before finally pulling away at the sixteenths pole for a 1¼-length victory in the $100,000 feature for 3-year-olds.
Power in Numbers is by Airdrie Stud stallion Girvin and thus is a great-grandson of important sire Tale of the Cat, who finished fourth in the 1997 Haskell (G2) for trainer John Forbes, a fixture at Monmouth Park for four decades and a past president of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association who died last year.
Power in Numbers completed the 1 1/16 miles was 1:44.28.
“Today, he took a step back before the gate opened,” said Camacho. “That's why he didn't break as sharp as he has his past two races. There was no panic. I knew I had a lot of horse.”
Owned by Klaravich Stables and trained by Chad Brown, Power in Numbers notched his third win and first stakes victory while making his fifth career start as the 7-10 favorite in a race that was originally scheduled for the grass but was switched to the main track.
With the Systemic Change also winning the eighth race for the Brown-Klaravich-Camacho team, Brown wrested control of the lead in the trainer standings with his 12th win. Klaravich, meanwhile, sits atop the owner standings with eight wins from 14 starters at the meet.
Camacho has ridden all eight winners for Klaravich at Monmouth Park this year.
“The instructions from Chad (for Power in Numbers) were never that this horse had to go to the lead,” said Luis Cabrera, who oversees Brown's division at Monmouth Park. “He said `just break and let him settle where he is comfortable and go from there.' The key is that there was no one outside this horse so it was perfect. We know the horse will finish.
“I kind of like that he raced this way. We never want to push our horses to break. We just let them go and go from there. He has been really good lately so we thought we'd try to win a stakes race with him and he came through.”
With longshots Impetud and Arrebato setting early fractions of :24.22, :48.37 and 1:12.58 for six furlongs (Impetud was the first to back out), Power in Numbers was positioned just off their flanks on the outside, alternating between third and last, with second choice It's Viper and Paco Lopez opting for a rail trip.
Camacho gave Power in Numbers his cue midway through the final turn. Arrebato was stubborn but Power in Numbers powered by late. It was another 7½ lengths back to It's Viper in third.
Power in Numbers, unraced at 2, paid $3.40 to win.
Bred in Kentucky by Airdrie Stud owner Brereton C. Jones, Power in Numbers was produced by the Eddington mare Gold Edge.
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