Midnight Cello hits choice notes in Grade III Hanshin Cup
Patricia's Hope LLC's Midnight Cello overcame a difficult start to prove much the best in Saturday's Grade III $100,000 Hanshin Cup at Arlington International Racecourse.
Claimed for $100,000 just four stats back in December at Gulfstream Park, the 5-year-old son of Midnight Lute was making his 15th career stakes start, and after five runner-up finishes against such company, the Michael Tomlinson trainee found graded glory in his first lifetime Polytrack start.
Ridden for the first time by Florent Geroux, Midnight Cello was shuffled back at the break before making his way between horses, securing the lead just after a quarter mile clocked in 24.37 seconds. Leading handily through further splits of 47.41 and 1:11.08, the dark bay gelding cruised under the wire completing the one-mile Polytrack trip in 1:34.83 while 5½ lengths clear of Lothenbach Stables' Mister Marti Gras.
"I had a great trip," Geroux said. "My horse bobbled a little bit in the gate but I was able to weave my way through and made the lead quite comfortably. From that point when I asked him to go while turning for home he responded very well."
Winning trainer Michael Tomlinson added, "When he was last early, I was a little worried, but when he got to the front with his ears pricked, I knew the rest of them were in trouble."
Midnight Cello returned $13.00, $7.40 and $4.00 as the fourth choice on the board and boosted his career bankroll to $292,740 with the $58,800 winner's share.
Mister Marti Gras, trained by Chris Block, settled off the speed and commenced a rally up the inside for jockey E. T. Baird before shifting out to just grab second on the wire from race favorite Hogy, edging that rival by a half-length margin at the finish, returning $5.00 and $3.00.
Hogy, sent to post as the even-money favorite, led early, conceded the lead to the eventual winner and stayed on for third under jockey Chris Emigh. The William Stiritz-owned and Scott Becker-trained charge returned $2.60.
Lahshad, Stormy Pacific, Agent Di Nozzo and Empirestrikesagain completed the order of finish.