Donegal Racing’s Carrick provided a 38-1 upset in Saturday’s Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes, besting the talented 4-5 favorite Analyze It by a half-length at the wire. A 3-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway, Carrick covered 1 1/4 miles over Arlington Park’s “good” turf course in 2:01.04. Ridden by John Velazquez for trainer Tom Morley, Carrick earned his first Grade 1 in the Secretariat.
Jerry Crawford’s Donegal Racing also won the Secretariat with Paddy O’Prado in 2010.
“He broke well and going past the wire for the first time he settled really well,” said Velazquez. “By the backstretch I was in a perfect position and I was very happy with the way he was doing things. After that, really, I was just waiting for the stretch run to see how he would respond for me and he responded, and he responded right away.”
Real Story broke on top, taking a one-length lead around the clubhouse turn over European invader Hunting Horn. Analyze It was right there while three-wide, and Bandua was tracking at the rail in fourth. Carrick was up close as well, approximately in fifth position down the backstretch. After fractions of :22.80, :47.27, and 1:11.62, Real Story was challenge by the duo of Hunting Horn and Analyze It.
Analyze It put away his rivals and grabbed a two-length advantage in the lane, but once again the colt was idling on the lead down the stretch. Velazquez and Carrick had been tracking the two favorites, Analyze It and Hunting Horn, all the way around the course, and made their move about a sixteenth of a mile after Jose Ortiz moved Analyze It.
The home stretch saw a flying Carrick able to run down Analyze It in the final sixteenth of a mile, and again, Analyze It was grudgingly beaten at the wire for the third start in a row. Carrick won his third race from four starts. Finishing third was Bandua, and Platinum Warrior got up for fourth.
Bred in Kentucky by Patricia Pavlish, Carrick was a $75,000 yearling at the Keeneland September sale. The colt broke his maiden in a claiming event at Belmont, then won a starter allowance before finishing third in his first try against graded company. Carrick’s record now stands at three wins from four starts with earnings of nearly $300,000.
“It’s a little emotional, to be honest,” said Donegal’s Jerry Crawford. “We won this race with Paddy O’Prado. I said before we started today that you get to be world champion for a day if you win this race. Thank you to Arlington, one of the classiest places in the world. Thank you to Mr. Duchossois, who has meant so much to this sport. And how about my team of Tom Morley and John Velazquez?”
Report from Paulick Report