Dublin Fjord Stables, Racepoint Stables, Kevin D. Hilbert and Thomas E. O'Keefe's Drafted made a bold move in the turn to capture Saturday's re-scheduled Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The Toboggan was initially slated for last Saturday's card which was cancelled due to the impact of a powerful winter storm in the New York City metropolitan area.
Trained by David Duggan and expertly piloted by Jose Ortiz, Drafted secured his first win since taking the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal in March 2019 at Meydan Racecourse.
Hopeful Treasure broke alertly from post 4 under Trevor McCarthy as Happy Medium, the 1-5 mutuel favorite, was urged to the front by Manny Franco from the outermost post 5 to mark the opening quarter-mile in 23.55 seconds with War Tocsin surging up the rail in an early pace battle.
Happy Medium wrestled away command in front of a stalking trio of War Tocsin, Repo Rocks and Hopeful Treasure through a half-mile in 47.04, but Ortiz and Drafted swooped the field through the turn with an energetic outside brush.
Drafted established a four-length lead at the stretch call and powered home a 4 1/2-length winner in a final time of 1:25.06 over a muddy and harrowed main track. Repo Rocks completed the exacta by six lengths over Happy Medium. Hopeful Treasure and War Tocsin rounded out the order of finish.
Duggan said he was pleased to see the veteran sprinter return to winning ways.
“They went fast enough up front and he got into a lovely rhythm. The speed stopped and I knew the seven-eighths would help him because he's got that patented run if you leave him alone,” Duggan said. “He's been showing up without getting his head in front, so it was nice to get him justified. He's a little hard on himself in the training, so he does a lot of pony work and a lot of lighter training.”
Duggan earned his first graded stakes score since Porte Bonheur captured the 2009 Grade 2 First Flight Handicap at Belmont Park.
“It's been a long time between drinks. I've been in layup for a while but the horses we have, we try to make competitive,” Duggan said.
Ortiz said Drafted touted his own early move.
“I was travelling well and as soon as I put him in the clear he jumped on the bridle and wanted to go,” Ortiz said. “I figured, I might as well go now. It was a small field and I knew the horse on the lead is a good horse. So I passed him early. I was hoping no one was coming from behind. I know it was an early move, but I did it to win.
“It was just a feeling,” Ortiz added. “I felt that it was a good time to pass everyone and I had enough to keep going.”
Drafted was conditioned in his 2016 juvenile campaign by Eoin Harty. He then joined the stable of trainer Doug Watson in Dubai, capturing the 2019 Group 3 Al Shindagha Sprint ahead of his Mahab Al Shimaal score.
The 8-year-old Field Commission gelding made his first start for Duggan in November 2020, finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight at the Big A. He entered the Toboggan from an even third in the six-furlong Gravesend on December 19 at the Big A.
Michelle Nevin said Happy Medium, who entered on a three-race win streak, may have been hampered racing to the inside of rivals.
“The track might not have been the greatest down in there,” Nevin said. “We're just going to have to get him home and make sure everything is okay.”
Bred in Florida by John Foster, Barbara Hooker and Field Commission Partnership, Drafted banked $82,500 in victory while improving his record to 25-7-2-3. He returned $15.80 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes Sunday at the Big A with nine-race card featuring the $100,000 Jimmy Winkfield in Race 4 and the $100,000 Ruthless in Race 8. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.
America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.
