HOT SPRINGS -- Jockey John Velazquez wasn't concerned with all the things that could go wrong when breaking from post 14 in Monday's Grade III Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park.
Being on the extreme outside, Velazquez said, didn't matter because his mount, Coal Front, knows only one way to run.
"It didn't matter if he was breaking from the inside or the outside," said Velazquez, a Racing Hall of Famer with 6,025 career victories. "He was going to be near the lead."
He was, from start to finish.
Coal Front, trained by Todd Pletcher, eased past early pace-setter All Out Blitz heading into the stretch and fended off the late challenge of Steve Asmussen-trained Copper Bullet to win the $500,000 race by a neck.
The winning time for the 1 1/16-mile race was 1:43.45, the fastest of three graded stakes run at Oaklawn on Monday.
"Everything was just perfect," Velazquez said of the fast break from the outside gate, the stalking trip outside All Out Blitz and the finish. "It worked out great."
Pletcher, watching from his home base in south Florida, said there was some concern about the post position.
"But the real key to his success today was getting away cleanly and getting a good position going into the first turn," Pletcher said. "Had to go a little quick to get to the first turn, but turning up the backside, he relaxed nicely."
Coal Front, a three-time winner of graded stakes but never a competitor at a distance longer than 7 furlongs, tracked All Out Blitz and jockey Tyler Baze through opening fractions of 22.68 seconds for a quarter mile, 46.59 for the half mile and 6 furlongs in 1:11.84.
"Down the backside, they were going plenty fast," Copper Bullet jockey Jose Ortiz said.
Coal Front reached the mile mark in 1:37.18, and was a length ahead of All Out Blitz and 3 lengths in front of Copper Bullet.
Baze, who flew into Oaklawn just to ride All Out Blitz, said the outside speed horses were able to get in 1-2 position because "the inside speed didn't go."
Ortiz, breaking from post 1, didn't press the issue with second-betting choice Copper Bullet, another graded-stakes winning sprinter making his first start in a two-turn race.
That allowed All Out Blitz and Coal Front to stay about 1½ lengths ahead of the others.
Baze said he was pleased with his position, even with Coal Front breezing down his neck on the far turn, and said for a moment that it was his $300,000 winner's share of the purse to win.
"I'm thinking, 'Shoot, I'm good,' " Baze said of his thoughts, which turned out to be fleeting.
Ortiz said he thought Copper Bullet was in perfect position, running third about 4 lengths back as the race entered the stretch. But Copper Bullet could not get past Coal Front.
"That horse that pulled out the win is very impressive," Ortiz said.
Coal Front, winning for the sixth time in eight career starts, increased his career earnings to $777,280 for owner Robert V Lapenta and $4.60 to win.
Copper Bullet paid $5.20 and $4.60. Rated R Superstar finished 1½ lengths back in third at 80-1 and paid $15.40 to show. California shipper Sonneteer finished fourth, a half length ahead of All Out Blitz.
Sports on 02/19/2019