Pico d’Oro stormed to the lead in the dying strides to break his maiden in stakes company Sunday at Ellis Park. The bay colt, a well-beaten sixth on debut at Churchill Downs June 19, overcame traffic troubles to close for second, 3 1/4-lengths behind the front-running Medicine Trail, going six furlongs at this track July 19. With an extra furlong to work with Sunday, Pico d’Oro was at the tail of the field as Medicine Trail battled favored Cowan through an opening quarter in :22.29. Medicine Trail took control turning for home, completing the quarter in :45.64, while Pico d’Oro was systematically picking off foes. The front-runner took a two-length advantage into the stretch, but Pico d’Oro was rallying four wide and uncorked a furious late rally to win going away.
“He ran a really good race today,” jockey Joe Talamo said of the winner. “I was actually pretty confident after watching his last replay. He ran a really good race to run second and galloped out really well. So we definitely thought the seven-eighths would help. I tell you what, he ran, too. The pace was pretty solid up front for us, and he ran them down, very professional too. For breaking his maiden in a stakes, I definitely think he’s got a real bright future.”
Trainer Bill Morey purchased Pico d’Oro for $255,000 following a quarter-mile work in :21 1/5 at this year’s OBS March sale.
“My owner, Gerry Sandlin, was a big part of it,” Morey said. “He’s a good friend of mine. We played Little League baseball together 30 years ago, and this was the first horse we ever bought. So I’m really happy for him, mostly. He was a big part of picking this race and pointing for it and the horse did the rest.”
Asked where Pico d’Oro might go now, Morey said with a laugh, “I’ll talk to Jerry and figure it out. But he’s a nice colt. We think he’ll go a little farther, too. We think he’ll go a mile–I don’t know how much farther. We’ve always thought seven, eight furlongs.”
Pico d’Oro is the first foal out of Michelle d’Oro, a daughter of 2010 GI Acorn S. and GI Test S. winner Champagne d’Oro. The mare also has a yearling filly by Uncle Mo. She was bred to Arrogate this spring. Pico d’Oro is the 39th stakes winner out of a daughter of Bernardini. Click for the Equibase.com chart.
RUNHAPPY JUVENILE S., $100,000, Ellis, 8-9, 2yo, 7f, 1:23.95, ft.
1–PICO D’ORO, 118, c, 2, by Curlin
1st Dam: Michelle d’Oro, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Champagne d’Oro, by Medaglia d’Oro
3rd Dam: Champagne Glow, by Saratoga Six
($255,000 2yo ’20 OBSMAR). 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-Sandin
Syndicate Stable, LLC; B-Southern Equine Stables, LLC (KY);
T-William E. Morey; J-Joseph Talamo. $61,035. Lifetime
Record: 3-1-1-0, $69,517.
2–Medicine Tail, 120, c, 2, Kantharos–Leh She Run, by Pulpit.
($230,000 Ylg ’19 FTSAUG). O-PTK, LLC; B-Highclere Inc. (KY);
T-Dane Kobiskie. $19,850.
3–Perfect Mistake, 120, c, 2, Exaggerator–Rapid Decision, by
Stravinsky. ($20,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP). O-WSS Racing, LLC & 4 G
Racing, LLC; B-Brandywine Farm (Jim & Pam Robinson) (KY);
T-John Alexander Ortiz. $9,925.
Margins: 2, 7, 3HF. Odds: 4.60, 4.70, 25.30.
Also Ran: Waist Deep, Cowan, Heart Rhythm, Libertyrun.
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