Top Alberta trainer CRAIG SMITH won his first MANITOBA DERBY on Monday, August 4 when ATTACK, recently purchased from American owner D.J. Stable through a digital sale, was placed first through the disqualification of favourite TAKE CHARGE TOM.
It was a surprising, and for bettors, upsetting disqualification, but one that had to be made by the Assiniboia Downs stewards on the track’s biggest day of the year. Not only was Take Charge Tom (Tom’s d’Etat), trained by Robertino Diodoro, the 1-to-2 favourite for the $125,750 race at 1 1/8 miles, but the giant Jackpot Pick 5 pool and mandatory payout would have surely gone to several more thousands of bettors had the favourite stayed up.
Making matters worse is that Take Charge Tom, ridden by Rasheed Hughes, was not even announced as a horse involved in the inquiry, but instead there were several jockey objections on other horses in the field.
It was apparent soon out of the gate that Take Charge Tom was on a tight, right rein and after some 20 strides, Hughes allowed the gelding to move in from his post 7 path to the two path. In moments, War Is Hell and jockey C Pruitt clipped heels with Tom, and the inside rivals became crowded; Attack was taken up and Border Song, on the rail, checked out.
The inquiry sign went up seconds later.
The race went on and the pace was slow, which allowed Take Charge Tom, who won the Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland in April and recently the Manitoba Derby Trial, to open up a three-length lead turning for home. He held off Attack, a son of Munnings, who closed well to be second. Ontario invader MALDINI (Vino Rosso) finished third.
It wasn’t until 13 minutes after the race went off at 10:09 Central (post time was scheduled for 9:40 p.m.), that it was announced that trainer Jason Homer, trainer of War Is Hell, was claiming foul on the winner. By 10:20 p.m. Smith had also claimed foul on the winner.
At 10:30 p.m. the race went official and Attack was declared the winner. Take Charge Tom was placed seventh. Attack paid $14.50 to win.
The social media backlash was plentiful and most thought because the incident was so early in the race, it had no bearing on the result. But jockey Hughes certainly made a careless move with his horse to come over so many paths without being clear.
Attack began his racing career for D.J. Stable and trainer Mark Casse last fall. A $300,000 March Ocala two-year-old purchase, Attack won his maiden second time out at Woodbine. At Gulfstream Park this winter, Attack was third in a nine-furlong Tapeta surface race and fifth on the grass at Keeneland.
The horse was entered in the May Digital sale through Fasig-Tipton and was bought for $70,000 by Highfield Investment Group Inc.
Highfield shares ownership of Attack with Dialed In Racing Stable, Bruce Appleyard, Jamie Graham, Lucky Diamonds Racing, Smokin Guns Stable, James Bauder, Robert Bauder, John O’Neill, John and Leslie O’Neill.
Attack, now 8-2-0-2 and $107,993, is from the Galileo (Ire) mare Ammannati (Ire) who did not race and has produced one other foal to race, the winner Grecian Goddess.
Ammannati is from the mare Acoma, who earned over $1 million and won the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes among other graded races. Acoma is a half-sister to Super Derby (G1) winner Arch and from the stakes-winning mare Aurora.
Attack’s fourth dam is the blue hen producer ALTHEA.
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Wagering on the Assiniboia Downs Manitoba Derby card was just over $3.9 million, beating last year’s record of $3.7 million. There was $2 million in the Pick 5 pot.
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Five-year-old battler BLACKTECA won race 2 at Assiniboia Downs by a hard-fought neck, his seventh career win from 31 races. The well-traveled son of Sharp Azteca broke down after the wire, however, and reportedly did not survive. The speedster raced at seven different tracks for a variety of owners and trainers.
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