Curtis Green’s HE’S GOT GRIT (Songandaprayer) made easy work of five juvenile
rivals in Saturday’s $150,000
Sapling S. (G3) at Monmouth Park. The Steve
Asmussen trainee grabbed the early lead and held that position under jockey
Aaron Gryder, clocking fast fractions of :21 2/5, :44 and :56 1/5. Gryder asked
the dark bay for more as the pair entered the stretch, and He’s Got Grit
responded by opening up 8 1/4 lengths over his competition to complete the
six-furlong affair in 1:09 3/5 on a track listed as fast.
“He’s got a great stride,” Gryder said. “I was comfortable the entire race.
Confront (Line in the Sand) came up to me, but turning for home my colt just
accelerated and at the top of the stretch he drew off. When you have a nice colt
like this you just keep dreaming of bigger and bigger things.”
The winning gelding left the gate at 5-2 to return $7.60, $2.60 and $2.20 The
3-5 favorite, Diabolical (Artax), paid $2.40 and $2.10 for the place, just a
nose ahead of Confront, who gave back $2.40. Exotics paid $16.20 (exacta),
$31.60 (trifecta) and $106.60 for the 4-1-7-6 superfecta ($1). Broadway Ridge
(Quaker Ridge), Caleb Pond (El Corredor) and Ballado Dancer (Outflanker) rounded
out the order of finish. The Village Vicar (Vicar) was scratched from the race.
He’s Got Grit was bred in Florida by his owner and is out of the multiple
stakes winning mare Hollow Miss (With Approval). He counts himself as a
half-brother to an unnamed yearling colt by Orientate and a 2005 colt by Silver
Charm. Perfect in three starts, He’s Got Grit shows earnings of $143,360.