HOT SPRINGS -- Whitmore was an easy winner Saturday afternoon over a field that was otherwise separated by only 5 lengths.
Taking the lead at the top of the stretch, the 4-year-old gelded son of Pleasantly Perfect pulled away in the final furlong for a 3¾-length victory in the 44th running of the Grade III $400,000 Count Fleet Handicap at Oaklawn Park on the final day of the Racing Festival of the South and the 2017 season.
It was the fourth consecutive victory -- all sprints -- for Whitmore, who has found his distance niche since finishing 19th in last year's Kentucky Derby. The Derby is raced at 1¼ miles.
"I think he's still learning this new game, but he likes it a lot," Whitmore trainer Ron Moquett said. "It's easy on him."
Whitmore finished second in the 2016 Rebel Stakes (1 1/16th miles) and third in the Arkansas Derby (1 1/8th miles), but after his 1:08.35 effort on Saturday, his route-racing days appear to be in his rear-view mirror.
Whitmore is now 5 for 5 at 6 furlongs and he has won 4 of his 7 races at Oaklawn.
"Someone asked me earlier, 'How did you teach him to sprint?' I said, 'That's not the training feat. The training feat was getting him to be third in the Arkansas Derby and second in the Rebel.' He's always wanted to do this."
One length was the difference between the next four horses. Apprehender, 15-1 in the morning line and 31-1 when the nine-horse field went to the post, rallied from last at the top of stretch to nip post-time second-choice Holy Boss by a head for the runner-up honors.
Whitmore and jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr., had no problems overcoming a speedy opening quarter (21.26) by eventual fourth-place finisher Chief Cicatriz. Whitmore was four wide at the turn but it proved to be the perfect spot for the horse that began to steadily increase his advantage.
"He was in the position I wanted, from the outside, out of trouble," Santana said. "That was the instructions, 'Don't get in any trouble.' Turning for home, he took his class out."
The short-priced Whitmore paid $3.00 to win, 2.60 to place and 2.10 to show. Apprehender paid $12.40 and $4.40 while Holy Boss paid 3.80.
Whitmore earned $240,000 for owners Southern Spring Stables
"You always say, 'Well if he duplicates the last race then he'll be hard to beat,' " Moquett said. "And then in the last race he did. I knew there were some decent horses, and he duplicated it again. Today, I was really pleased he did it in this race."
Sports on 04/16/2017