Up the Backstretch: Longer wait than expected for Exodus
Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) – The Hebrews of the Jewish Bible waited for their redemption from bondage about 400 years. The Exodus lasted 40 years until they reached the Promised Land.
The promised land for Fox Hill Farm’s 2-year-old Exodus has yet been reached in as much as the colt failed to break his maiden Sunday at Fair Grounds in New Orleans. The six-furlong Maiden Special Weight start was the colt’s second of his young career, coming off a third-place finish at Keeneland on Oct. 3.
“He just got a little tired in that Keeneland race,” noted trainer Larry Jones, “which I must say kind of surprised me. I thought that once he made the lead he would go on with it, but at Keeneland you can hook up with some very good horses.”
Exodus was recognized as the horse to beat in Sunday’s start at Fair Grounds. The betting public sent him off as the 3-5 favorite versus 11 other 2-year- olds.
With veteran jockey Kerwin Clark in the saddle, Exodus bobbled at the start from post 8 and then was bumped hard by one of the other horses. Exodus raced wide around the turn but was second as the field turned into the stretch. The colt faded a bit to finish third, 8 3/4 lengths behind Distant Kingdom a 21-1 longshot with 22-1 outsider A M Milky Way, the pacesetter, holding on for place.
“We expect him to be one of our classic contenders down here, but only time will tell,” Jones explained earlier last week. “We’re pretty high on him and have a lot of expectations. I don’t think he’ll have any problem getting two turns. I have two half-sisters to him and one wants to go long and the other (allowance winner Thirteen Arrows) acts like she wants to be a little bit of a sprinter, but she’s by Indian Charlie. The way he trains, he’ll definitely stretch out.”
Sired by two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up Medaglia d’Oro, Exodus was a $600,000 purchase by Fox Hill Farm owner Rick Porter at Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Sale in August 2013.
Exodus can follow in the hoofprints of previous horses Fox Hill and Jones have started in Fair Grounds’ stakes for 3-year-olds. Friesan Fire was the track’s leading 3-year-old in 2009 after sweeping the Lecomte, Risen Star and Louisiana Derby. However, Friesan Fire finished last as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby.
Two years earlier, Hard Spun won the Lecomte Stakes by 6 1/2 lengths to begin his 3-year-old campaign. The colt would go on and get second to Street Sense in the Run for the Roses and was runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Classic to Curlin.
Optimism is still high for Exodus to begin finding the wire first and possibly bring owner and trainer that initial Kentucky Derby victory.
Categorized in: Horses