SHARP AZA TACK (c, 2, Sharp Azteca–Que Chulo, by Bernardini) took his show across the country Saturday and couldn't have been any more impressive while becoming the second stakes winner for his fast-starting freshman sire (by Freud) in Monmouth's Tyro S. Having belied 12-1 odds when scoring first out on the Santa Anita sod June 10, the :10 flat OBSMAR breezer was no secret this time around as the even-money chalk.
Briefly challenged to his inside by second choice Power Attack (War Dancer), Sharp Aza Tack shook free of that foe on the bend and enjoyed several lengths of daylight as he spun for home. His foes simply couldn't run with him from there, and he widened at will to prevail by double digits and stop the clock in :55.71. Power Attack held second.
“I decided to ship the horse to Monmouth Park after talking to owner Ron Arakelian,” winning trainer Dennis O'Neill said. “We circled the Global Tote Juvenile Sprint at Kentucky Downs [Sept. 8] for him and we thought `what is a good spot between the win at Santa Anita and the Kentucky Downs race?' The race at Monmouth Park was perfect. I have horses at Keeneland now and we thought the Tyro S. would be a good middle ground.”
He continued, “When he made his debut he had trained well but I didn't know if he was good enough to stay with some of the top baby sprinters on the dirt in California. We put him in that grass sprint and I would be lying if I didn't say I was shocked at how well he raced. He came out of it great, so why would we mess around with surfaces? The only thing we said to [jockey] Jairo Rendon was to take advantage of this horse's speed. He rode him with a lot of confidence. There were some good runners in there. I couldn't have been more impressed or more proud of the way he ran. It's hard to be more impressive than he was.”
The winner's dam was purchased for just $7,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton New York Fall Mixed sale while in foal to Emcee. Out of an Argentinian Group 1 winner, Que Chulo has a yearling filly by Jimmy Creed, a Good Magic foal colt and was bred to Beau Liam for 2023. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
TYRO S., $102,000, Monmouth, 7-30, 2yo, 5fT, :55.71, fm.
1–SHARP AZA TACK, 117, c, 2, by Sharp Azteca
1st Dam: Que Chulo, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Que Piensa Cat (Arg), by Easing Along
3rd Dam: Compenetrada (Arg), by Compatible (Arg)
($72,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $100,000 2yo '22 OBSMAR). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-R3 Racing LLC; B-Joe & Emily Cowles (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill; J-Jairo Rendon. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $100,200.
2–Power Attack, 118, c, 2, War Dancer–Street Magic, by Street Hero. ($20,000 Ylg '21 EASOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Tee-N-Jay Farm and J. Kent Sweezey; B-Sean O'Connor (NY); T-J. Kent Sweezey. $20,000.
3–Bart's Dream, 118, c, 2, Chitu–Gator Brew, by Milwaukee Brew. ($37,000 2yo '22 OBSMAR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Sonata Stable; B-James Gamble (FL); T-Jose Francisco D'Angelo. $10,000.
Margins: 7 1/4, 1 3/4, 2HF. Odds: 1.00, 2.30, 8.60.
Also Ran: Jeremy's Jet, Ferrari Kid, Dangerous Ride, Run Happy Pappy.
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