Guest Suite Upsets Fifth Season

HOT SPRINGS, AR – In the first division of the Fifth Season Stakes, Contreras Stable Inc. and David Rodriquez’s Guest Suite, who was claimed for $62,500 Oct. 5, 2019 at Keeneland, got up in the final strides to edge 8/5 favorite Snapper Sinclair by a neck as the highest-priced horse in the field.

The winner vied early for the lead, but was taken back and patiently handled down the backstretch by Walter De La Cruz before coming three wide into the stretch and nipping the favorite at the wire. Night Ops finished third. The winning time was 1:39 for one mile over a muddy (sealed) racetrack.

Cipriano Contreras, winning trainer, Guest Suite: “He ran a big race. He’s a nice old horse. We got lucky, I guess. It’s nothing really I did. He made $300,000 before I got him. He’s got a world-class pedigree. You just claim them and hope for the best.” 

Walter De La Cruz, winning jockey, Guest Suite: “The 3 horse (Snapper Sinclair) was the speed. I just sat in the back and just waited and waited. From the 3/8 (pole), I asked him and he gave me everything.”

Guest Suite improved his record 6-2-8 in 24 starts and has now earned $477,633. He returned $24.40, $8.40 and $5.