Elizabeth H. Alexander’s MAGNA GRADUATE (Honor Grades) had been close in his
six 2008 starts prior to Sunday, but could never quite find the winner’s circle.
The six-year-old finally got his first victory of the year in the $108,200
Ack Ack H.
(G3) on Churchill Downs’ opening day card, but it wasn’t without some
trouble.
Magna Graduate broke from the far outside in the six-horse field and for a
brief time wasn’t far back while tracking the pace set by even-money favorite
Forest Command (Monarchos) through splits of :23, :46 2/5 and 1:11. The Steve
Asmussen pupil was settled in fourth on the outside by jockey Shaun Bridgmohan
as Greeley’s Conquest (Mr. Greeley) and Cowtown Cat (Distorted Humor) pressed
Forest Command. It was Greeley’s Conquest, though, who got the jump on the rest
of the field exiting the turn.
Forest Command drifted out entering the stretch, taking Cowtown Cat with him
and leaving the way clear for Greeley’s Conquest on the rail to take over
through seven furlongs in 1:23. Magna Graduate was beginning his run on the
outside, but had to withstand a slight brushing incident with Forest Command,
who continued to lug out in midstretch. That wasn’t enough to stop the eventual
winner, who drew even with Greeley’s Conquest while running down the center of
the track and pulled off to record a 2 1/4-length victory.
“He broke sharp enough and he kind of put himself in a good, nice comfortable
spot,” Bridgmohan said. “Around the turn, I noticed the favorite (Forest
Command) was getting out, and I didn’t want to move anxiously and try to do
anything. So I just left him alone and coming off the turn I tipped him out to
the outside. He’s such a professional, he’s done so many good things in his
career, so all you’ve really got to do is just point him and ask him and he does
his thing. He’s a classy horse.”
Magna Graduate finished up the fast-track mile test in 1:36, and returned
$7.20, $4.20 and $2.60 as the 5-2 second choice. Greeley’s Conquest, who was
making his return here off a runner-up effort in the August 30 Forego S. (G1),
held second by 2 3/4 lengths over Forest Command, paying $7.20 and $3 at 8-1.
The pacesetter was easily best of the rest, finishing 5 1/4 lengths in front of
Cowtown Cat while giving back $2.10. The exacta paid $44.20, the trifecta was
worth $81.80, and the 6-1-4-5 superfecta rewarded ticket holders with $446.60.
Coragil Cat (Forest Wildcat) and Forefathers (Gone West) rounded out the order
under the wire.
Magna Graduate was not only looking for his first win of the year, but also
the first since taking the Excelsior H. (G3) in April 2007. The dark bay is no
stranger to stakes company, capturing the 2005 runnings of the Clark H. (G2),
Discovery H. (G3), Pegasus S. (G3) and John Battaglia Memorial S. as well as the
2006 Queens County H. (G3) and last season’s Razorback H. (G3). Among his 11
black-type placings are runner-up efforts in the 2007 Stephen Foster H. (G1) and
this year’s Hawthorne Gold Cup H. (G2). He also placed third in the 2006 Dubai
World Cup (UAE-G1), and now boasts a 34-10-6-6 mark having accumulated
$2,561,237 in lifetime earnings.
Bred in Kentucky by Nicole Zitani and Ramon Rangel, Magna Graduate sold for
$30,000 as a 2003 Keeneland September yearling. He is the most successful foal
out of the unraced Peacock Alley (Fast Play), who also has an unnamed juvenile
colt by Hennessy. Peacock Alley is herself a daughter of the multiple Group
3-placed listed winner Anna’s Honor (Alleged), who is a half-sister to Grade
2-placed stakes winner Savannah’s Honor (Storm Bird). This is the same family as
last year’s Irish highweight Nick’s Nikita (Pivotal).