ELMONT, NY – Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott’s Casa Ceed led stablemate Chewing Gum across the wire 1-2 to complete the barn exacta in Saturday’s $400,000 Jackpocket Jaipur Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park.
The Jaipur is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” event, with Casa Creed receiving an automatic berth in the Turf Sprint at Del Mar this November.
Full Card Plays Now Available
There’s a reason we’re the #1 trusted source for premium racing picks & info.
Casa Creed broke a step slow from post 2 under Junior Alvarado at 10/1 odds and settled in eighth ahead of only the rail-breaking Chewing Gum as the field made its way down the backstretch.
The even-money favorite Bound for Nowhere set the pace as expected, posting opening fractions of :22.06 and :44.65 before exiting the far turn still in command and beginning to extend his lead.
Tipped out to rally down the center of the course, Casa Creed (with Chewing Gum in his wake) flew past Bound for Nowhere at the 1/16 pole with a mad rush, then crossed 2 lengths better than his barnmate.
The final time for the 6-furlong good inner turf sprint was 1:08.04.
“I missed the break a little,” said Alvarado. “I got worried right away because when sprinting, the last thing you want to do is break slow. The first 1/16 of a mile, I was last and he was going so fast. I was thinking that they had to be going pretty quick up front. He started picking it up little by little and still going so fast. As soon as I turned for home and put him in the clear, I asked him a bit, and then he pulled the reins out of my hands. It was a beautiful run from the 3/16 to the wire.”
Bound for Nowhere weakened late but saved third by a head over Stubbins, while Got Stormy nosed out Fast Boat for fifth.
Gregorian Chant, Greyes Creek, and Sombeyay completed the order of finish.
Completed Pass, Oleksandra, and Main Track Only entry Secret Rules scratched.
Casa Creed’s win was second straight following the local Elusive Quality Stakes and second at the graded stakes ranks after the 2019 Hall of Fame (G2) at Saratoga. The 5-year-old intact son of Jimmy Creed improved his record to 20-5-3-3 with $755,408 earned for co-owners LRE Racing and JEH Racing Stable.
“He’s versatile,” Alvarado said. “He’s been unlucky with races, but he’s always been hard knocking. He gets beat, but gets beat trying against really nice horses. We started figuring it out these past couple of races. He showed today that he’s a serious sprinter.”
Casa Creed returned $23.60 to win, $11.40 to place, and $5.60 to show. Chewing Gum brought back $19 to place and $7.20 to show. Bound for Nowhere paid $2.80 to show.
