Gaining Ground Racing LLC's 5-year-old Factor This collected his third consecutive stakes win with a hard-fought, front-running triumph while holding off a fast-closing English Bee in Saturday's 31st running of the $200,000 Wise Dan (Grade II) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.
Ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan and trained by Brad Cox, Factor This ran 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:41.15 to win by a neck as the even-money favorite. The $119,040 winner's share of the purse jumped his career record to 29-10-3-4—$844,070.
Pressured into the first turn, down the backstretch and leaving the final turn by English Bee's Calumet Farm stablemate Ritzy A.P., Factor This dictated the pace through splits of :23.93, :47.53 and 1:11.46. Bridgmohan dropped his hands at the top of the stretch and Factor This responded with determination as he inched clear and was able to hold off a rallying English Bee.
“We got a lot of pressure early and, once we sort of got into a rhythm, I tried to wait on him as much as possible,”Bridgmohan said. “I looked over and (Ritzy A.P.) was actually about to take the lead and then I had to go. He was still able to hold off the charge after getting that pressure early. He has a lot of fight and determination; he's just getting better.”
Factor This paid $4, $3.60 and $2.40. English Bee, with James Graham up, returned $8.60 and $5.40. Parlor was another three-quarters of a length back in third under Tyler Gaffalione and paid $3.80 to show.
Aquaphobia, Emmaus (IRE), March to the Arch, Casa Creed, Just Howard and Ritzy A.P. completed the order of finish. Hembree and Eons were scratched.
Factor This, a $62,500 claim in 2018, has won six races for Cox and Brian and Tom Cutshall, who race as Gaining Ground Racing LLC. Before the Wise Dan, Factor This won the $150,000 Fair Grounds (GIII) and $300,000 Muniz Memorial (GII) at Fair Grounds.
“That wasn't as easy as an even-money shot is supposed to win but he ran a huge effort,” Cox said. “He got pressure early and every step of the stretch he was able to fight off his rivals. It was an impressive effort on the front end. We'll get with the owners and determine a plan from here but it was very exciting to see how hard he ran today with that adversity.”
Factor This is a bay son of The Factor out of the Singspiel (IRE) mare Capricious Miss (GB). He was bred in Kentucky by Maccabee Farm.
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