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8/16/10 - 2-Year-Old Kantharos Looks Special at the Spa
Courtesy of the Blood-Horse
Kantharos remained undefeated after the 2-year-old blew away three others in the Saratoga Special Stakes.
Photo: Coglianese Photos |
Stonestreet Stables’ Kantharos remained undefeated in three career starts after the 2-year-old son of Lion Heart blew away three other 2-year-olds in a daylight victory in the Aug. 16 Saratoga Special Stakes (gr. II).
Sent off at 1-9 odds under jockey Garrett Gomez, replacing the injured Robby Albarado for trainer Steve Asmussen, Kantharos bumped with another horse at the start and then was set just off the early lead of Blue Right By and Bail Out the Cat. By the time the four-horse field hit the turn, Blue Right By and Kantharos blew right by Blue Right By and engaged in a brief early stretch duel. But it wasn’t long before Kantharos lived up to his odds and drew away to win by 7 1/4 lengths in a hand ride.
The winner completed the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:18.63 and returned $2.30 and $2.10. Bail Out the Cat was worth $2.30, and there was no show wagering. The top two combined for a $3.40 exacta payoff. It was 11 3/4 lengths back to Manchurian High, with Blue Right By completing the order of finish. Sovereign Default, coupled in the entries with Bail Out the Cat, was scratched as was Wetzel.
Kantharos won his debut at Churchill Downs May 13 in an 11 3/4-length romp on a sloppy track. In his next outing, Kantharos bobbled at the start but recovered for a 9 1/2-length victory in the July 3 Bashford Manor Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill.
The $90,000 winner’s purse from the Special boosted the colt’s earnings to $185,213.
Bred in Kentucky by Hedberg Hall Inc., Kantharos was purchased by Nick Salusto, agent for Pegasus Holding Group, for $80,000 from the Indian Creek Farm consignment to the 2009 Keeneland September yearling sale. Pinhooked by Eddie Woods, agent, into the 2010 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s March sale of 2-year-olds in training, the colt was purchased by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables for $250,000.
"You like a horse a lot, and like how he’s doing, but it’s the variables you have no control over," Asmussen said following the race.
"Garrett said it took him awhile to get into it. He thought he (Kantharos) was cautious going over the track when he was warming up. He said that during first 50 yards he wasn’t on the bridle much at all, but after he went a little ways he got into himself. I thought that he came into the stretch well. He hesitated a little bit when he first left (Bail Out the Cat), but late he really looked good and smooth and like he’ll go further, which is what everybody wants to know right now. What he’s done at these sprint distances is very impressive and brilliant, but we want to be greedy and get a little bit more."
"I’ve watched both of my colt’s races and in one race he was actually behind horses for a ways, so I just let him get up on his feet, let him build, and let him show me the way," Gomez said of his inaugural ride aboard the winner. "I let him tell me what to do and at what time. If you watch his first two races, this is probably an identical re-run of both. I just tried to sit up there, be the best passenger, and stay out of his way to let him do his job. He seemed like he handled the mud OK, and he ran fast enough. He’s a nice colt and I’d like to get on him again."
"You know a very nice horse beat us," said Rick Violette, trainer of Bail Out the Cat. "We were second in a grade II. He at least confirmed that he is a pretty nice horse. We will let him cool out now and see. There are a lot of options, but we’ll get him home make sure he is all right, and then come up with a game-plan."
KANTAROS and his half sister BONIFACIO who won the Daisycutter H at Del Mar, were both sold by Indian Creek in behalf of Iroquois Bloodstock and Hedberg Hall, Inc.
8/16/10 - Lion Heart's KANTHAROS Wins In A Kanter
Courtesy of the TDN
KANTHAROS (c. 2 Lion Heart) continued his dominating march through the juvenile division with an effortless 7 1/4-length victory in Monday's GII Saratoga Special S. at Saratoga. The chestnut colt, looking for the third straight victory in his young career, settled in third as Blue Right By (Bluegrass Cat) cut out the early fractions. He shadowed Bail Out the Cat (Tale of the Cat) as that rival moved to the fore midway on the bend and loomed an ominous presence into the stretch. Bail Out the Cat tried to make a race of it under a vigorous Alan Garcia drive, but Kantharos forged to the front under a Garrett Gomez hand ride. He quickly opened up a clear advantage and was under wraps to the wire.
"You like a horse a lot, and like how he's doing, but it's the variables you have no control over," admitted winning trainer Steve Asmussen. "Garrett said it took him awhile to get into it--he thought he was cautious going over the track when he was warming up. He said that during first 50 yards he wasn't on the bridle much at all, but after he went a little ways he got into himself. I thought that he came into the stretch well. He hesitated a little bit when he first left [Bail Out the Cat], but late he really looked good and smooth and like he'll go further, which is what everybody wants to know right now."
Gomez, who inherited the mount from the injured Robby Albarado, added, "If you watch his first two races, this is probably an identical re-run of both. I just tried to sit up there, be the best passenger and stay out of his way to let him do his job. He seemed like he handled the mud OK, and he ran fast enough.He's a nice colt and I'd like to get on him again."
Kantharos was tabbed a "TDN Rising Star" with an impressive 11 3/4-length debut win over five furlongs at Churchill May 13 and added a 9 1/2-length tally in the six-furlong GIII Bashford Manor S. last time out July 3. Asmussen is already looking ahead. "What he's done at these sprint distances is very impressive and brilliant, but we want to be greedy and get a little bit more," he said.
Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0 $185,213
O-Stonestreet Stable LLC
B-Hedberg Hall Inc (KY)
T-Steve Asmussen.
He was sold by Indian Creek on behalf of Iroquois Bloodstock and Hedberg Hall, Inc.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Kantharos maintained his reputation as the best 2-year-old on the East Coast – if not the country – with a relatively easy 7 1/4-length victory in Monday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Saratoga Special at Saratoga.
Bail Out the Cat, who valiantly fought with Kantharos until just outside the eighth pole, finished second by 11 3/4 lengths over the first-time starter Manchurian High. Blue Right By was last. Sovereign Default and Wetzel scratched.
Kantharos won for the third time in as many starts, adding the Special to victories in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor and a maiden victory, both at Churchill Downs. He has won those three races by a combined 28 1/2 lengths.
“He has been brilliant and I think he still is to this point,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Kantharos for Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stable. “We just want him to continue to get better.”
After getting bumped soundly by Bail Out the Cat at the break, Kantharos, under Garrett Gomez, raced in third position while in the four-path as Blue Right By ran an opening quarter in 22.25 seconds. Bail Out the Cat, under Alan Garcia, made a move for the lead entering the far turn, and Kantharos hooked up with him turning into the lane.
Kantharos and Bail Out the Cat ran together until just above the eighth pole before Kantharos drew clear while being taken in hand late. Kantharos, a son of Lion Heart, covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in the mud in 1:18.63 and returned $2.30 to win. With $238,725 placed to show out of a pool of $263,903, there was a minus-show pool of $45,577 on Kantharos.
“I thought he came into the stretch well, hesitated just a bit when he first left that horse, but late he really looked good and smooth, like he’ll go further, which I think is what everybody wants to know right now,” Asmussen said. “What he’s done at these sprint distances has been very impressive and brilliant but we want to be greedy and get a little bit more.”
While Asmussen said he has to talk with Jackson about future plans, a logical next step for Kantharos is the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont Park on Oct. 9.
7/3/10 - Lion Heart Colt Impressive in GIII Bashford Manor
Courtesy of the TDN
Photo by Reed Palmer
 Stonestreet Stable's Kantharos (c, 2, Lion Heart--Contessa Halo, by Southern Halo) won the GIII Bashford Manor S in a romp. He broke awkwardly, but took over on the turn and came home a most impressive 10-length winner. He stopped the clock in 1:09.89. Lou Brissie (Limehouse) edged Speed Demon (Bluegrass Cat) for second. The chestnut was tabbed as a TDN Rising Star after his May 13 unveiling under the Twin Spires.
Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0.
O-Stonestreet Stable LLC;
B-Hedberg Hall Inc (KY);
T-Steve Asmussen.
He was sold by Indian Creek on behalf of Iroquois Bloodstock and Hedberg Hall, Inc.
5/13/2010 - Iroquois Bloodstock sold KANTHAROS wins first out - chosen TDN Rising Star
Courtesy of the TDN
KANTHAROS, c, 2, by Lion Heart - Contessa Halo, by Southern Halo won as he pleased by almost 12 lengths at Churchill in his first out. He zipped 5f on a sloppy track in 57and change,
Kantharos the even-money choice in his bow, pressed the pace under a snug hold through an opening quarter in :22.65, took over under his own power entering the straight and romped home to an 11 3/4-length victory. The winner, an $80,000 KEESEP yearling and $250,000 OBSMAR juvenile, is a half-brother to Ikigai (Whywhywhy, GSW, $195,978).
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $28,800.
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