Winner of the GIII With Anticipation at Saratoga as a 2-year-old, Coinage returned to the winner's circle once again in the Palm Beach S. despite his early antics and notched another black-type victory to his resume. The chestnut placed third in the Nownownow S. at Monmouth Park Sept. 26 and weakened to ninth Nov. 5 at Del Mar in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last year. Last out Feb. 5 in the GIII Kitten's Joy S. at this venue, he set all the pace, dueled in the lane and yielded late for third as the 9-5 favorite.
The 2-1 second choice this time on break, Coinage was fast out the gate but could not keep pace early with Bueno Bueno, who immediately took control of the pace. Headstrong and unwilling to settle going into the first turn, the chestnut continued to fight Luis Saez into the backstretch before finally compromising midway down from third on the rail. Tracking leaders from there, quarters tightened coming into the final turn as the closers made their move and Coinage was stuck behind a wall of horses in fifth. Floating off the fence to secure running room in the homestretch, the $450,000 KEESEP purchase produced a powerful kick to fight to the lead in the shadow of the wire, victorious by a neck over a game Main Event. Coinage is his GI-winning dam's first foal and graded stakes winner. He has a 2-year-old half-brother by Justify and a yearling half-brother by Tapit. The mare is expecting a foal by Quality Road this season. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
PALM BEACH S., $125,000, Gulfstream, 3-5, 3yo, 1mT, 1:36.12, fm.
1–COINAGE, 123, c, 3, by Tapit
1st Dam: Bar of Gold (GISW, $1,551,000), by Medaglia d'Oro
2nd Dam: Khancord Kid, by Lemon Drop Kid
3rd Dam: Confidently, by Storm Cat
($450,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-D. J. Stable LLC, Broman, Sr., Chester and Broman, Mary; B-Chester Broman & Mary R. Broman (NY); T-Mark E. Casse; J-Luis Saez. $75,175. Lifetime Record: GSW, 8-3-0-4, $289,625.
2–Main Event, 118, c, 3, Bernardini–Total Knockout, by Unbridled's Song. ($50,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $130,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Harrell Ventures, LLC; B-Godolphin, Eric Buckley & Elizabeth Buckley (KY); T-George Weaver. $24,250.
3–Bueno Bueno, 120, c, 3, Lord Nelson–Multitasker, by Bertrando. ($55,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Calumet Farm; B-Mike Abraham (KY); T-Jack Sisterson. $12,125.
Margins: NK, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 2.40, 3.50, 16.80.
Also Ran: Red Danger, Sosua Summer, Credibility, C My Meister, Moms Moon. Scratched: Royal Spirit.
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