SANTA ANITA: LONGSHOT ITS GONNA HURT STAMPS HIS TICKET TO THE BREEDERS’ CUP

By Mike Willman —-

ITS GONNA HURT
Zoe Metz Photography

LONGSHOT ITS GONNA HURT STAMPS HIS TICKET TO THE BREEDERS’ CUP AS HE TAKES $100,000 SPEAKEASY STAKES GATE TO WIRE UNDER PEREIRA; TRAINED BY KORINER, HE GETS FIVE FURLONGS ON TURF IN 56 FLAT

ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 6, 2018)—Fresh off a maiden win on dirt Aug. 4, longshot Its Gonna Hurt blasted from his rail post position and never looked back in winning Saturday’s $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes by three quarters of length under Tiago Pereira. Trained by Brian Koriner, the Louisiana-bred colt by Violence got five furlongs over the Santa Anita turf in 56 flat and punched his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 2
(Run for the first time at five furlongs on turf, the Speakeasy is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Race, with the winner earning a fees-paid berth to the afore mentioned Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint).
In a racing rarity, Its Gonna Hurt headed a six-horse parade that saw the entire field finish in exact post position order; 1-2-3-4-5-6.
Off at 8-1, Its Gonna Hurt, who is out of the City Zip mare Celestial Legend, paid $18.60, $9.40 and $5.80.
Owned by Janet Lyons, Evan Trommer, Andrew Trommer and Matthew Trommer, Its Gonna Hurt was purchased for $80,000 out the Ocala Breeders 2-year-old in Training Sale this past April. With the winner’s share of $60,000, he increased his bankroll to $81,945.
Ridden by Evin Roman, Whooping Jay, the lone California-bred in the field, sat second the entire trip, finishing a neck in front of favored Mae Never No. Off at 10-1, Whooping Jay paid $10.60 and $4.80.
Mae Never No, the lone filly in the lineup, didn’t show her customary early speed and was third throughout under Gary Stevens. Off at 6-5, she paid $3.00 to show.
Fractions on the race were 21.22 and 44.05.

SPEAKEASY STAKES QUOTES
$100,000

TIAGO PEREIRA, ITS GONNA HURT, WINNER: “My horse broke good and his last work was very good, so when he took the lead I just let him go and he had enough left to hold them off. I chirped to him when I wanted more and he gave it to me.”

GARY STEVENS, MAE NEVER NO, THIRD AS 6-5 FAVORITE: “She tired herself out going to the gate today. She never relaxed . . . I’d like to ride her back right now, that she’s relaxed.”

TRAINER QUOTES

BRIAN KORINER, ITS GONNA HURT, WINNER: “I told him (Tiago Pereira) he didn’t have to be (in front). I said you can lay right behind them. He didn’t break on top, but the horse dragged him right up there. There was nothing he could. The horse was just way quicker than they were. He went 44 flat but he was draggin’ him all the way.”
Asked if he would look at the Breeders’ Cup (Turf Sprint): “I don’t know. We’ll see. It wasn’t really my intention to run in this race. It was the only place to run for a horse that broke his maiden for 80 (thousand dollars).”