Podcast Final Kentucky Derby 2025 Prep Picks: Blue Grass Stakes, Wood Memorial, and Santa Anita Derby | Blinkers Off 713
Race Recaps Matrooh Motors Home in G3 Hanshin Cup May 12, 2018 Race Recaps Matrooh Motors Home in G3 Hanshin Cup May 12, 2018 By: Press Release email Share: share on facebook share on twitter share on linkedin email this article ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL – Crystal Racing Enterprises and Contreras Stable’s Matrooh motored home in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Hanshin Cup, to give trainer Cipriano Contreras and jockey Santo Sanjur the first graded stakes wins of their careers. Goneghost lugged in at the start but recovered and raced out for the lead with an opening quarter of :23.95, then continued to run strong through fractions of :46.54, 1:10.96, and 1:23.58 while putting distance between himself and the rest of the field. Sanjur sat patiently on the eventual winner, opting out of the running early before making up ground on the final turn. Coming into the stretch, Matrooh was angled to a clear path and closed quickly in the final stages to secure the win by 2 1/2 lengths in a final time of 1:36.43 for the mile-long event over the synthetic racing surface. “I’m so happy to come back to Arlington,” Sanjur said in the winner’s circle after the race. “I just let him break, and he broke really well. It was easy after that. I knew that I had a lot of horse at the finish.” Goneghost settled for second, 5 lengths better than Western Elegance. Master Merion was bet down to the post-time favorite, but the turf stakes winner had an awkward start under Corey Nakatani, who had flown in from California to ride. After recovering from the break, the duo tried to match stride with the pacesetters but had to settle for fourth. “I let him try to be comfortable where he was at, but he seemed a little bit dull,” Nakatani said. “He wasn’t a disgrace; he ran pretty good.” Great Wide Open, Ghost Hunter, Christian C, Harmac, and Crewman completed the order of finish. Wellabled was scratched. Matrooh’s win improved his career record to 22-7-1-3 with career earnings of $419,429. The 8-year-old gelded son of Distorted Humor had one prior stakes score on his resume, having won the Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park on Halloween in 2015. Matrooh returned $19.60 to win, $9.20 to place, and $6.20 to show. Goneghost brought back $4.80 to place and $3.60 to show, while Western Elegance paid $7.80 to show.
Final Kentucky Derby 2025 Prep Picks: Blue Grass Stakes, Wood Memorial, and Santa Anita Derby | Blinkers Off 713 The Racing Dudes preview the final three major 2025 Kentucky… Read More
Santa Anita Preview & FREE Pick 5 Bets | The Magic Mike Show 585 The Magic Mike Show guys preview Santa Anita Park on… Read More
Wood Memorial, Blue Grass Stakes, Santa Anita Derby, and Final 4 PICKS | Dudes Who Bet Sports 233 Aaron and Papa Dude give their picks for the Wood… Read More
Kentucky Derby 2025 Prep Picks: Florida Derby & Arkansas Derby | Blinkers Off 712 The Racing Dudes preview the two major 2025 Kentucky Derby… Read More
Florida Derby, Arkansas Derby, and Sweet 16 PICKS | Dudes Who Bet Sports 232 Aaron and Papa Dude give their picks for the Arkansas… Read More
Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial & Blue Grass Stakes Picks | TWO Betting Bibles, ONE Monster Weekend Get the 2025 Santa Anita Derby Betting Bible, featuring the EXACT race-by-race wagering… Read More
Final Kentucky Derby 2025 Prep Picks: Blue Grass Stakes, Wood Memorial, and Santa Anita Derby | Blinkers Off 713 The Racing Dudes preview the final three major 2025 Kentucky… Read More
Santa Anita Preview & FREE Pick 5 Bets | The Magic Mike Show 585 The Magic Mike Show guys preview Santa Anita Park on… Read More
Trainer Bob Baffert Looks for Oaks-Derby Double; Weighs in on Citizen Bull, Barnes Trainer Bob Baffert on Saturday at Santa Anita has a… Read More
Keeneland Reschedules Opening Friday and Saturday Races Due to Weather LEXINGTON, KY (April 2, 2025) – Due to a forecast of… Read More