Earle Mack’s MR. LIGHT (Arg) (Numerous) held off a late rally from Willard
Straight (Lion Cavern) to win Sunday’s $111,800
Poker H. (G3) at Belmont Park.
The six-year-old rated in sixth while L’Oiseau d’Argent (Silver Hawk) set the
pace in fractions of :22 1/5, :44 4/5 and 1:08. Jockey Cornelio Velasquez
advanced with the chestnut on the outside approaching the stretch and took over the
lead at the eighth pole. Mr. Light then dug in gamely to hold off the advancing
Willard Straight to take the race by a neck, covering the one-mile firm turf affair
in 1:32.
“Cornelio knows this horse so well that I don’t have to tell him
anything,” trainer Angel Penna Jr. said. “I can’t complain about anything with him.
He’s a nice horse. The obvious place to go now is the Bernard Baruch (S. [G2] on
August 1), although it is a mile and an eighth. The extra eighth might bother
him a little bit, but we’ve got to face the music now. The only problem with the
Breeders’ Cup is that at that time of year, the chances for a hard turf course
are small. He’s not nominated to the the Breeder’s Cup, but money wouldn’t be a
problem.”
The 5-2 favorite rewarded his backers with payouts of $7.30, $4 and $2.60
while leading the
$31.20 exacta. Willard Straight gave back $4.20 and $2.80 for the place at 4-1
while Remind (Deputy Minister) came home 1 1/4 lengths farther back in third to pay
$2.90 at 7-2, rounding out the $119.50 trifecta (4-6-8). L’Oiseau d’Argent, Gulch
Approval (Gulch), Ecclesiastic (Pulpit) and Seeking the Glory (A.P. Indy)
rounded out the order of finish. Aggadan (Carnivalay) and Trade Fair (GB) (Zafonic)
were scratched from the race.
Mr. Light picks up his second graded score of the year, taking the Appleton
H. (G3) in February, and increases
his career record to 16-6-3-2 with earnings of $247,059. Bred in Argentina by Firmamento, Mr. Light is out of the unraced mare Luminare (Forlitano [Arg])
and counts himself as a full brother to Grade/Group 1 winner Miss Loren (Arg)
and Group 2 victor Milano Phone (Speakerphone).