Debuted against New York breds at Belmont's Aqueduct meeting last fall, Eye Witness caught the losing end of the three-horse photo finish, winding up third by a head in a six-furlong grass sprint. Sidelined for the next three months, he started his New Year strong by breaking his maiden at a mile over the synthetic track at Turfway Jan. 1 over a pair of next-out winners. A $650,000 Keeneland September yearling, Eye Witness shortened back up to six panels Saturday and went off the popular 3-5 choice in the scratched-down field of five. Placed just off early leader Olazabal as the fractions ticked by in :22.26 and :46.54, the bay held that spot before easily sprinting by the pacesetter past the quarter pole. Much the best down the stretch, Eye Witness had plenty of run left and cruised home to win by open lengths as Olazabal came home second best. From his sire's first crop, the colt is out of a half-sister to GSW & GI Florida Derby runner up Sharp Humor (Distorted Humor). Gracilia saw her 2-year-old Practical Joke filly bring a final bid of $190,000 from Kingsport Farm at last week's OBS March Sale and she last produced a filly by Game Winner last year. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
ANIMAL KINGDOM S., $178,500, Turfway, 3-25, 3yo, 6f (AWT), 1:11.76, ft.
1–EYE WITNESS, 118, c, 3, by City of Light
1st Dam: Gracilia, by Mr. Greeley
2nd Dam: Bellona, by Hansel
3rd Dam: Basoof, by Believe It
($235,000 Wlg '20 FTKNOV; $650,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP).
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier,
Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith and Michael B. Tabor; B-Anlyn
Farms (NY); T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $92,070.
Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-1, $122,310. *1/2 to More Mischief
(Into Mischief), SW, $255,493.
2–Olazabal, 118, c, 3, Bolt d'Oro–Derby Eve, by Tiznow.
($60,000 Ylg '21 FTKOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Douglas E. Miller
and William J. Wargel; B-Susan Casner (KY); T-Eric N. Foster.
$49,700.
3–Brazen Boy, 118, c, 3, Jimmy Creed–What a Sassy Gal,
by Mineshaft. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-John C. and Brittany B.
Terlep; B-Brittany B. Terlep (KY); T-Jordan Blair. $24,850.
Margins: 5, 5HF, 3 1/4. Odds: 0.71, 2.50, 6.95.
Also Ran: Moonstrike (GB), Tiger Paw (Ire). Scratched: Libertango, New York Thunder, Swirvin.
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