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Dashing Pirate Dashes to Victory in Memorial Day Handicap

May 25, 2009 — Dashing Pirate rushed to the lead at the break of the one-mile featured sixth race, the Memorial Day Handicap, and then held off Soul Spirit for a wire-to-wire victory Sunday at the Randall "Doc" James Racetrack in a ho-hum time of 1:40.
The sparse crowd that showed up for the Memorial Day races was treated to some of the most exciting finishes in recent times, with most of the nine races being highly competitive. However, the highly anticipated debut of Soul Spirit, the Solitude Stables gray gelding, who many believe came to St. Croix to challenge V.I. champ Carse, left many doubting whether he will be up to the task.
One thing's for sure: To challenge the champ he will have to run much faster than he did Sunday to even be in the same zip code in a race. However, he does seem to have a lot of class, and could need a couple of races to get acclimated with the running conditions on the big track.
With a late scratch of the fourth entry in the field, Lost River, reducing the field to three, the St. Thomas entry withstood every challenge from his two rivals throughout the race.
It was a good break for all three horses, but Dashing Pirate was quickest out of the gates, grabbing an early lead that he would never relinquish.
He had a one-and-a-half-length lead around the clubhouse turn when Soul Spirit and Black Jack Bob rushed up to challenge for the lead. They caught him midway down the backstretch and got to within a head of the lead, but Dashing Pirate responded by drawing off again to lead one at the three eights marker.
The two trailers, Black Jack Bob and Soul Spirit, running almost as one, tried to come at Dashing Pirate once again around the far turn, and it began to look as if the race was setting up for a huge stretch battle. As the field turned for home, it briefly appeared as if race was now on, but Dashing Pirate was having none of that as he able to draw away for a two-length victory at the wire. Soul Spirit was able to outduel Black Jack Bob for second.
In another exciting race, a battle of top native-born thoroughbreds, Prince Crystal with Jockey Jesus Guadeloupe in the irons continued his march to the top with an impressive victory in the seven-and-a-half-furlongs second race. Trailing for most of the race, as is his running style, the Prince collared Emerald Star and jockey Christian Soto at the mile marker and then edged ahead for a half-length victory at the wire.
Al-Abjar, coming off of a long layoff, led the field for most of the race before being collared by Emerald Star at the four-furlongs marker on the backstretch. Emerald Star led the field around the far turn, followed by Prince Crystal a length behind and Al-Abjar a fading third. Emerald Star looked well on his way to victory as the horses raced down the homestretch, but a roar that went up from the crowd told the story of what was unfolding in the stretch run. Prince Crystal unleashed his patented late run and was beginning to reel in Emerald Star with the wire fast approaching. The crowded cheered all the way through the finish line, with the Prince edging away for the half-a-length victory in a time of 1:38.2.
The rest of the day's results:
Race1 5 F N-6
Time: 1:02
1. Irie Ites, Elmo Barnes
2. Creation Rebel, Angel Viera
3. Bottom Belly, Christian Soto
Race3 7 1/2 F Class I-5&6, Jockey
Time: 1:34.2
1. Lobito, Alberto Ojeda
2. All the King's Gems, Christian Soto
3. El Rollo, Angel Viera
Race4 6 F I-2&3, Jockey
Time: 1:12.3
1. Little Boy Brew, Angel Viera
2. Falcons Peak, Elliot Morales
3. Dixie Find, Miguel Sanchez
Race5 1 M M&F, Jockey
Time: 1:41.1
1. Her Baby Blues, Angel Viera
2. Big Kate, Christian Soto
3. Qaulifying Asset, Elmo Barnes
Race7 5F M&F, Jockey
Time: 59.1
1. Destiny Arival, Elmo Barnes
2. Fantasy League, Miguel Sanchez
3. Summertime Babe, Alberto Ojeda
Race8 7 1/2 F Class I-1&2, Jockey
Time: 1:36.2
1. Green Sand, Angel Viera
2. Formally Cat, Miguel Sanchez
3. Black Magic Marker, Elmo Barnes
Race9 7 1 M Classes I-4 & I-5
Time: 1:41.3
1. Guiltless, Miguel Sanchez
2. Halos Horn, Angel Viera
3. Cat Hunter, Alberto Ojeda
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