By Christina Bossinakis
While there may have been a few unanswered questions heading into Sunday's seventh race at Churchill Downs, there seemed to be none afterward. Installed the second betting choice behind the 7-5 choice, GISP Be You (Curlin), Nash (Medaglia d'Oro) completely dismantled his competition with seemingly little effort, cruising home an eye-catching 10 1/4-length winner while stamping himself a TDN Rising Star in the process.
Sent screaming to the front in the blink of an eye, the 9-5 chance cut out an opening quarter in :23.83 and a half in :47.93. Still moving powerfully through the quarter pole, the Godolphin homebred was cut loose in the stretch, and flew down the lane in complete command, winning by a gaudy margin while well in hand under Florent Geroux. Longshot Justifreak (Justify) was second, while Resilience (Into Mischief) rounded out the trifecta. The favorite came home fifth.
Sent off the 8-5 choice in his career debut at Keeneland Oct. 7, Nash came home fifth behind 5-1 chance Booth (Mitole) in the six-furlong event. He had been working steadily over this surface, including a pair of :49 flat moves Oct. 28 (40/95) and Nov. 4 (41/96).
Out of three-time graded winner Sara Louise, the winner is a half to Sara Street (Street Sense), GSP, $216,100. Sara Louise is also responsible for Mrs. Hudson (Street Cry {Ire}), dam of SW Airosa (Uncle Mo) and Coronation Street (Street Cry), dam of GSW Kalik (Collected). Subsequent to Sunday's Rising Star, the mare produced a colt by Street Sense in 2022 and was bred back to Nyquist this season.
7th-Churchill Downs, $120,000, Msw, 11-12, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.15, ft, 10 1/4 lengths.
NASH, c, 2, by Medaglia d'Oro.
1st Dam: Sara Louise (MGSW, $400,435), by Malibu Moon
2nd Dam: Kings Lynn, by Mt. Livermore
3rd Dam: Til Forbid, by Temperence Hill
Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $87,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.
“Ohhh! Look at NASH go!” – 🎙️@TravisStone@flothejock takes #4 NASH ($5.82) gate to wire for an impressive victory in Race 7 at @ChurchillDowns for @bradcoxracing and owner/breeder @godolphin. Another winner by Medaglia D'oro.
Watch @FanDuelTV for post-time insight. pic.twitter.com/QgOWO3wDeJ
— TVG (@TVG) November 12, 2023
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