Aug. 18, 2008 — Idol Worship, going off as the pre-race favorite, was true to form Sunday as he defeated four rivals in the feature race at the Randall "Doc" James track.
The David Cotto-trained chestnut gelding won in dramatic fashion as he came from last place to tackle the front runners, then outdueled Black Jack Bob down the stretch to win going away at the wire. Idol Worship, with jockey Benjamin Lopez in the irons, negotiated the 7 1/2-furlong distance in 1:32.1 to take home the lion's share of the $3,500 purse. Black Jack Bob with jockey Edgar Walker was a clear second, with Formally Cat and jockey Christian Soto coming on for third.
A confident Cotto said he had no worries.
"I changed his blinkers for today hoping to make him a little more aggressive against Green Sand so that he did not fall back like he did in the race, but it did not really work out for me that way," he said. "However, even though we gave them that jump, you saw the kind of horse Idol Worship is."
How did he feel seeing his horse trailing by so much so early in the race?
"Well, those people who I bought him from in Puerto Rico told me that if he did not have that problem of a slow start I would not have gotten him," Cotto said. "And he is the type of horse that he could do what he did today and run them down and beat them."
Green Sand was the quickest out of the gates at the break, and led the field past the grandstand for the first time. He was joined on the front end by Formally Cat and Crafty Smile, and as a group those three quickly opened up some eight lengths on Black Jack Bob and the early-trailing Idol Worship.
Around the clubhouse turn and into the backstretch, the spacing would stay that way until around the 4 1/2-furlong marker. At that point the two trailers, Black Jack Bob and Idol Worship, began to pick up the pace and rapidly closed on the front runners. They were all bunched by the time they reached the three-eight poles, but it was obvious by now that the race to the wire was going to be between Black Jack Bob and Idol Worship. They swept by the other three horses on their way to the front of the pack.
The Walker-led Black Jack Bob split foes at the top of the stretch and appeared to have a brief lead, but Idol Worship was coming — and coming fast. Lopez guided him to the outside of the pack as the horses turned for home, and he quickly gobbled up Black Jack Bob.
These two locked up briefly at the top of the stretch, and Black Jack Bob seemed like he was going to put up some resistance. But a couple of taps by Lopez on Idol Worship's shoulder, and he easily drew clear and continued to pull away as he crossed the wire 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Black Jack Bob.
The rest of the day's results:
Race 1 4 1/2 F Class H, Jockey
Time: 57.1
1. Fifty Cents, Junior Inirio
2. Rihana, Angel Viera
3. Emerald Princess, Steven Powell
Race 2 7 F Classes N-4 & N-5
Time: 1:29.2
1. King David, Junior Inirio
2. Fightforyourrights, Steven Powell
3. Emerald Star, Benjamin Lopez
Race 3 7 F Classes N-1 & I-6
Time: 1:27
1. Get Ready Now, Angel Viera
2. Fantastic Four, Elmo Barnes
3. Catway, Christian Soto
Race 4 7 F Class M&F
Time: 1:25.3
1. She's Got The Helm, Christian Soto
2. Look Up Look Up, Jesus Guadelupe
3. Eltish Mota, Angel Viera
Race 5 7 F Class I-3 & I-4
Time: 1:25.2
1. Marfin Express, Angel Viera
2. Mi Jesuse, Elmo Barnes
3. Puerto Rican Emblem, Benjamin Lopez
Race 6 7 1/2 F Class I-5
Time: 1:33.4
1. Cat Hunter, Alberto Ojeda
2. Guiltless, Jesus Guadelupe
3. Honor Bonus, Alphonso Claudio
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