2007 Hopeful Stakes

When highly-touted 2-year-olds Ready's Image and Maimonides hooked up at the top of the Saratoga stretch, a memorable duel seemed to be in the making, one that could vault one of them to the top of the juvenile standings. But like a blur, the picture changed, as Majestic Warrior came from out of the clouds, roaring down the middle of the racetrack to capture the $250,000 Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) in electrifying fashion.

Saddled by Saratoga's leading trainer Bill Mott - with his first Hopeful win in this race - Majestic Warrior broke awkwardly from the gate, spotted the field a few strides, and then raced far back in the four-horse field. As Ready's Image and Maimonides began their stretch duel at the far turn, jockey Garrett Gomez began to move the son of A.P. Indy-Dream Supreme along the rail, then drifted four-wide at the quarter pole. It wasnt long before Majestic Warrior, who trailed the field by 10 1/2 lengths after a half-mile, began eating up ground with huge strides. The Kinsman Stable's Kentucky homebred rapidly closed in on the leaders and easily passed Ready's Image, who had gained a short advantage on Maimonides. Majestic Warrior won going away, taking the seven-furlong test by 2 1/4 lengths.

"Leaving the half-mile pole, I thought they had gotten away from our horse," Mott said. "At that point, I was wondering if he would be able to make up that kind of ground. He put in a tremendous run, and he has to be a good horse to make up that kind of ground. He was 10 out of it when they turned for home, and he rolled by them. He ran very professionally the first time. He's the perfect student. You can't ask for a nicer, better horse to train. Obviously, he proved today that he can handle the best colts we have on the East Coast. Probably, the logical step is to look at the Champagne (grade 1, Oct. 6 at Belmont Park). I can't tell you what an exciting thing this is for me. I think I've run one horse in this race. I ran Paradise Creek in here, and he turned out to be a turf champion. Words can't describe (the meet). This really tops it off. It doesn't get much better than this."

Said Gomez, who took over from Jorge Velazquez as he earned back-to-back Hopeful wins: "After three-eighths of a mile, I had to squeeze him. Some of his greenness was showing. I just tried to give him some confidence. It worked out for us. He's a nice colt. Class exudes out of him."

Going off at odds of 6-1, Majestic Warrior paid $15 to win. Ready's Image, who entered the race three-for-four, including a victory in the Sanford Stakes (gr. II), finished second, while Maimonides, an 11 1/2 length winner in his career debut, took third. The exacta (1-4) paid $31.60. The final time was 1:23.04.

Majestic Warrior, a $300,000 yearling purchase, had only one start entering the Hopeful, a 3 1/2 length maiden special weight victory Aug. 4 at Saratoga.

Special thanks to Tammicat21 for the excellent video request.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Thoroughbred
• Hose
• Racing
• 2007
• Hopeful
• Stakes
• Majestic
• Warrior
• Saratoga
• Race
• Course
• Tom
• Durkin
• NYRA
• New
• York
• A.P.
• Indy
• Dream
• Supreme

[Tammicat21]

Doesn't that just blow you away!!!!! I love it. Thanks CF for posting. It's one of my favorite races. I will watch it many times:)

[cf1970]

Agreed. Gotta love a horse that makes a big rush like that.

Thank you for the comments and for suggesting that this race be posted.

[Jazzgirl8888]

Majestic Warrior is such a powerful and talented horse . It is a pleasure to watch this very impressive win. Amazing !

Thank you so much for taking the time to post this wonderful race cf :)

God Bless.

[cf1970]

Yes, he sure lived up to his powerful lineage here, that's for sure. Love that finishing kick of his; reminds me of a Big Red horse we know. ;-)

I appreciate you very much, my dear friend. We must catch up again sometime soon. God bless you, too.

[gocashbaby]

That reminded me of my favorite race, the 1982 Travers. Thanks, buddy.

[cf1970]

Hey, good point; MW's dash is similar.

Thanks for the comments, man.

[reverberate79]

i was hoping they would rn him at saratoga agian but they reitred him before  the meet. who knows maybe he was a saratoga horse.

[cf1970]

Ha, yeah, this one took me by surprise when I first saw it, too.

Glad you enjoyed the video, my friend!

[cf1970]

You're very welcome. I agree; seeing a 2YO with that big of a kick is always great to watch. I just wish he had a longer career. Shame that.

[nameofthepen]

LOL! I never saw that coming!! AWESOME.

That bloodline must have afterburners in its DNA. :D

Great race. I enjoyed it SO much. Thanks, CF. :-)