IT’S A MEMORABLE 40TH START FOR CATTAIL COVE IN STANTON HANDICAP
Link Newcomb’s Cattail Cove celebrated his 40th career start in style, as the winner of the Moonist Award in 2022 won the $25,000 Stanton Handicap in powerful fashion on Sunday night at Los Alamitos.
Starting from post seven, Cattail Cove took the lead right away and then extended his advantage over the field with every stride while posting an impressive 1 ¼ length victory. The 6-year-old gelding by Favorite Cartel was picking up second stakes win of the meet while winning for the 8th time in his career. The classy runner bred by Steve Burns was making his 28th appearance in a stakes race and his career he’s either competed in a stakes or a stakes trial in 38 of his 40 starts. The runner-up in the 2020 Grade 1 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity has also finished in the money 28 times.
“We’ve been in Ruidoso this weekend and we drove back after the sale to get here in time just for this race,” Newcomb said. “It’s his 40th start and I didn’t want to miss it. Twenty-eight times in the money, which is pretty incredible when you’re running against that type of competition. He’s a one-of-a-kind horse. I want it to go on forever.”
Now a four-time stakes winner, Cattail Cove was presented with the Moonist Award by the PCQHRA last year based on his many outstanding performances racing at the highest level. He’ll be a candidate to win the Moonist once again in 2023, as all six of his starts this year have come in stakes races. In the Stanton, this iron horse covered the 350 yards in :17.502 while earning $13,750. Ridden by Victor Salazar in this race for trainer Juan Aleman, Cattail Cove took his total earnings to $662,932.
“He loves his job,” said Newcomb of the 2022 Champion of Champions finalist. “He’s in the first stall in the barn. He runs the barn. He tells the other horses what to do. He’s happy here. No sense going anywhere else, and we have some other things coming up later this year.”
Owned by Jose Aguilar Mendoza and trained by Heraclio Botello, Jr., Charlies Fast Man ran beautifully from post five to finish in second place at 17-1 odds. The son of Apollitical Blood earned $5,625 for his game effort with Mark Jasso in the irons. Ed Allred’s Cactus Jack finished third with Oscar Peinado up for trainer Scott Willoughby. Fortunate Corona, Jess Being A Friend, Nevada Charles, Eye On The Sky, and All Ways completed the field.
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