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RAPID REDUX Extends WINNING STREAK With 17th VICTORY!










Sent off the 3-5 favorite in a field of eight horses in Race 8 at Charles Town in a $20,000 starter allowance, RAPID REDUX was sent right to the front by jockey J. D. Acosta and opened up a comfortable two-length lead through a six furlongs in 1:12.75. He was 3-1/2 lengths in front entering the short stretch and had no real problem repelling a mild bid from SMILING JORDAN, finishing 2-3/4 lengths clear while completing 1-1/16 miles in 1:45.30.
"The race played out like we thought it would," trainer David Wells said. "He was getting a little tired at the end. J. D. did a great job. He had the lead, but could feel the horse coming behind him and he kept on riding."
It was the 15th consecutive win this season for RAPID REDUX, who began his winning streak December 2010 at Penn National. Since then, he has raced at seven different racetracks with seven different riders at distances from five furlongs to 1 1/8 miles.
Cole and Wells have stated they intend to shoot for the record and win as many races as they can with RAPID REDUX before the end of the calendar year, when he will no longer be eligible to run in the starter allowance ranks, where he has recorded 13 of his wins during his spree.
Wells said he would like to run RAPID REDUX three more times in 2011. While Wells is certain he wants the horse to remain in the $5,000 starter allowance ranks, he does not want to tip his hand about where or when he plans to enter RAPID REDUX. "He's a nice horse, but he's not an open allowance horse. He fits really well in these starter allowances and he doesn't have to run too hard. I think that's what keeps him sound," Wells said. "At this point, we don't want to take a chance of getting him beat. I don't want to announce where we might run because I'm afraid somebody will stick in a six-furlong horse just to burn him out. We'll be looking all over the East Coast for the right spot and slip an entry in the box the morning of the draw."
Short rest does not appear to be a problem for RAPID REDUX, who has run twice already this month and three times since Aug. 22, 2011. In fact, his lowest winning Beyer Speed Figure, a 67, occurred when he was given five weeks between his win going a mile at Mountaineer Racetrack and his first start off the break at Thistledown.
Wells gives credit to Cole for suggesting claiming RAPID REDUX last fall (2010). "I really had nothing to do with it," Wells said. "He saw that the horse was sired by PLEASANTLY PERFECT, who won $7.8 million. This horse is bred to go a mile and a quarter, but he has six-furlong speed. We were lucky to get him because I think it was a three or four-way shake the night we claimed him.
Since being claimed by his owner, Robert Cole, Jr., for $6,250 at Penn National October 2010, RAPID REDUX has captured 18 of 19 starts at a variety of venues around the Mid-Atlantic region. His only loss in that time frame came in his second outing for the Wells barn, when he backed up to eighth in a starter allowance in November 2010, also at Penn National. Wells revealed that RAPID REDUX displaced his palate that day, and a minor throat operation corrected the problem.
RAPID REDUX has a nicer pedigree than most denizens of starter allowance races. Bred by Fortress Pacific Equine in Kentucky, he is a half-brother to stakes winner BE LIKE MIKE and the Grade 3-placed SACRED JOURNEY, both by UNBRIDLED'S SONG. His dam, THISCATSFORCARYL (STORM CAT), is a full sister to stakes victress CAT AFFAIR, and she hails from the family of Australian Oaks (Aus-G1) runner-up FRENCH LADY (NZ) (ENTREPRENEUR) and Santa Ana H. (G1) heroine ANNUAL REUNION (CRESTA RIDER). His fourth dam, the winning LOVE OF LEARNING (HAIL TO REASON), is a full sister to the influential sire HALO and a half-sister to Hall of Famer TOSMAH (TIM TAM).
Sold for $85,000 at the 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, RAPID REDUX began his career with trainer Kelly Breen. He broke his maiden in his second try and managed to finish a distant third in the 2008 Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park. But after several bad defeats, he was dropped into claiming company where he descended the ladder until being scooped up by Cole and Wells.
So stay tuned as RAPID REDUX remains on course to extend his winning streak to 19 races to be in historic company !
(27 Minutes)
Listing Info: | |
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Listing ID: | 1170 |
Format(s) Available: | DVD And VHS |
Category: | U.S. & Canadian Flat Racing |