Undefeated Drew’s Gold continued to prove that he does not need to take his racetrack with him, securing his fourth triumph over as many racetracks in the May 12 $145,500 Gold Fever Stakes for sophomores going six furlongs at Belmont Park.
Owned by Stuart Tsujimoto and trainer James Chapman, Drew’s Gold was last seen capturing his stakes debut in the six-furlong Jimmy Winkfield Stakes on February 11 at Aqueduct Racetrack. He exited the Winkfield score with a virus and subsequently missed the Bay Shore Stakes (G3) on April 8 at the Ozone Park oval.
The dark bay or brown Violence colt previously won on debut last May at Churchill Downs before defeating winners in his sophomore debut on January 28 at Laurel Park.
Breaking from the outermost post 5 under Jose Gomez, Drew’s Gold dueled to the outside of graded stakes-placed Andiamo a Firenze down the backstretch through an opening quarter-mile in :22.15 over the fast main track with 4-5 favorite Squire Creek tracking their early foot a close third.
As the field reached the far turn through a half in :45.06, Florent Geroux began to call on Squire Creek while Drew’s Gold established a clear lead under little urging from Gomez. In upper stretch, Gomez tapped his charge on the right shoulder a few times and he began to find his best stride as Andiamo a Firenze retreated and Squire Creek launched a rally nearing the three-sixteenths pole. Squire Creek looked poised for a big run in mid-stretch, but Drew’s Gold continued to find more and strolled home a 4 3/4-length winner in a final time of 1:09.36.
Squire Creek finished second another 1 1/2 lengths ahead of last-out Bay Shore winner Joey Freshwater . Tuskegee Airmen and Andiamo a Firenze completed the order of finish. Drew’s Gold’s stablemate Prove Right was scratched and will now target the Chick Lang Stakes (G3) on May 20 at Pimlico Race Course, according to Chapman.
Gomez, the pilot in Drew’s Gold’s last two starts, expressed his appreciation for riding such a consistent horse.
“I’ve been working this horse since before he ran and I had really high expectations for him,” Gomez said. “I just love him. He’s undefeated and he’s a great horse. He loves the competition. In the morning, he works a lot better in company. When he works solo, he just goes through the motions. But once he has a target, he’s a whole different horse—he gets aggressive and he loves the chase.”
Chapman said he was not surprised by his horse’s impressive effort.
“Not to sound arrogant, but that’s what we expected to see. He’s a whole different deal. He’s had little issues and he’s run with them and now he doesn’t have them anymore,” Chapman said. “A normal horse would have needed this race, but he didn’t. They’re going to have to run next time (to beat him). He’s like riding a pleasure horse. He does whatever you ask him to do. To train him is the easiest thing in the world.”
Chapman added that Drew’s Gold will now target the seven-furlong $400,000 Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) as part of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival on June 10.
The well-traveled Drew’s Gold returned $9.20 for a $2 win bet. He banked $82,500 in victory which enhanced his lifetime earnings to $222,620. Bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Drew’s Gold is out of the dual surface stakes-winning Vindication mare Frolic’s Revenge . He was obtained for $25,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from his breeder’s consignment.
Video: Gold Fever S. (BT)
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
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