El Caballo, Graham Rally to win Thursday Feature
May 14, 2011
James Spence’s El Caballo, ridden by James Graham, overhauled the pace-settingSlew the Man in the final 100 yards to win Thursday’s $57,082 feature race for 3-year-olds and up by a half-length at Churchill Downs.
Trained by Ralph Nicks, El Caballo covered the mile on a fast main track in 1:34.84. The victory was worth $35,880 and increased the winner’s bankroll to $399,955 with a record of 17-7-5-0.
El Caballo, a 7-year-old Kentucky-bred son of El Corredor out of the Storm Cat mare Fine Jewel, improved his record on the main track at Churchill Downs to 5-2-2-0.
El Caballo returned mutuels of $11, $5.40 and $3.80. Slew the Man, ridden by Calvin Borel, returned $8.20 and $4.80 in finishing 3 ¼ lengths ahead of Glenwood Canyon, who paid $3.80 to show under Rosie Napravnik.
Odds-on favorite Modern Cowboy finished fourth another 4 ¼ lengths back and was followed in order by Our Dark Knight, Anarko (CHI) and Giant Chieftain.
The Kentucky Derby Weekend kicks off Friday with a 12-race program that begins at 10:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) and highlighted by the 137th running of the Kentucky Oaks (GI) that carries a $1 million purse for the first time. Post time on the Oaks, the sixth of six stakes and the 11th race on the card Friday, is 5:45 p.m.
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