Melnyk Racing Stables’ BISHOP COURT HILL (Holy Bull) surprised at long odds
on Saturday when annexing the $300,000
Carter H. (G1) at Aqueduct. Sent to the
early lead by jockey Jose Santos, the six-year-old gelding set the pace from the
outset as he enjoyed a ground-saving trip on the rail, rattling off splits of
:22, :44 4/5 and 1:09 4/5 before crossing the wire in 1:23 1/5. The victor gave
back $18, $6 and $4 at 8-1.
“I just let him come out of there,” Santos said. “He had great speed. He was
a better horse today. The last sixteenth of a mile, he saw the other horses
coming and he gave an extra effort. He was huge today.”
Outrun early, Sir Greeley (Mr. Greeley) rated in fourth through the
first half before rallying three wide on the turn for home, but was not able to
catch the front runner in time, falling a neck short at the finish line and paid
$3.80 and $2.70 at 5-2. Big Apple Daddy (Precise End) was only three parts of a
length behind Sir Greeley to his outside, returning $3.90 at 8-1. Mass Media
(Touch Gold) was another four lengths back while Happy Hunting (Seeking the
Gold) and Call the Lord (Lord Carson) completed the order of finish. Silver
Train (Old Trieste) and Kazoo (Tabasco Cat) were scratched from the race.
The exotics paid $65 (exacta) and $329 for the 2-4-7 trifecta.
“It was a big race for him,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He’s a horse that
has always had a great deal of talent, and it has been a little frustrating from
time to time. It was good to see him dig in gamely today and hold on for the
win. We’ll keep him sprinting at six and seven furlongs.”
Bred in Kentucky by Pam duPont LLC, Bishop Court Hill is out of the
stakes-winning Just Cuz (Cormorant), who also produced multiple stakes
winner Come on Get Happy (Cure the Blues) as well as an unraced two-year-old
filly named Glasheen (Take Me Out) and an unnamed yearling colt by Take Me Out.
Bishop Court Hill captured his first graded contest here and improved
his record to 24-7-4-2 with $470,775. He comes off a second in the Toboggan H.
(G3) and claimed a victory in the Paumonok H. earlier this year. He sold at the
2001 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $32,000 before being purchased at the Fasig-Tipton
February Calder Two-Year-Old Sale for $350,000.