By Alan Carasso
Heavily favored to score a fifth consecutive victory and his sixth from eight starts overall, Edge Racing's Yes This Time (Not This Time) had some work to turning into the stretch of Saturday's GIII Kent S. over rain-affected turf at Delaware Park, but he rallied through an opening at the rail and outfinished pacesetting Like the King (Palace Malice) for an ultimately comfortable success.
Allowed to amble along as the pacesetter had things very much his own way on the engine, Yes This Time was shuffled back to last and was off the bridle for a stride or two with about three furlongs to race. Busily ridden by Joe Bravo approaching the quarter pole, the chestnut showed a quick turn of foot, confronted the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks winner to his inside with a bit less than an eighth of a mile
Claimed for $30,000 from his breeder and trainer Mike Stidham out of a victorious effort when trying the grass for the first time at the Fair Grounds Dec. 5, Yes This Time was fourth in a starter/optional event at Gulfstream Jan. 21 before scooping similar events Feb. 20 and Mar. 20. A 2 1/2-length winner when facing allowance/optional rivals in Hallandale Apr. 11, he overcame a very wide trip and rallied from last to earn his first black-type success in the May 8 English Channel S. at the South Florida oval.
Pedigree Notes:
Yes This Time becomes the second graded winner for Taylor Made's Not This Time and is simultaneously the 50th graded winner produced by a daughter of the outstanding Smart Strike. The colt's second dam made a name for herself on the Midlantic circuit, winning four black-type events at Delaware Park, including the grassy Beautiful Day S. As a broodmare, Shad was responsible for Strike A Deal (Smart Strike), a two-time graded winner on turf, as well as Pacific Wind (Curlin), victorious in the GII Ruffian S. and third in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. on the main, while earning graded placings in the GII Honeymoon S. and GIII Senorita S. on the grass. The unraced Smart Jilly is the dam of a 2-year-old colt by Street Sense and a yearling filly by Blame.
Saturday, Delaware Park
KENT S.-GIII, $150,125, Delaware, 7-3, 3yo, 1 1/8mT, 1:52.39, sf.
1–YES THIS TIME, 117, c, 3, by Not This Time
1st Dam: Smart Jilly, by Smart Strike
2nd Dam: Shag, by Dixieland Band
3rd Dam: Ismelda, by Wavering Monarch
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Edge Racing; B-Barry S. Golden
(KY); T-Kelly J. Breen; J-Joe Bravo. $90,000. Lifetime Record:
8-6-0-0, $215,025. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Like the King, 117, c, 3, Palace Malice–Like a Queen, by
Corinthian. ($28,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $170,000 Ylg '19
OBSOCT). O-M Racing Group, LLC; B-Horseshoe Racing, LLC
(KY); T-Wesley A. Ward. $30,000.
3–Wootton Asset (Fr), 117, c, 3, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Love Liu
(Fr), by Librettist. (€37,000 Ylg '19 AROYRG). O-Madaket
Stables LLC; B-Ecurie Haras Du Cadran & Mme. Patrick
Ades-Hazan (FR); T-H. Graham Motion. $16,500.
Margins: 1, 1, 1HF. Odds: 1.10, 3.50, 5.00.
Also Ran: Doubleoseven, Eamonn, Be Here. Scratched: Gershwin, Shackled Love, Vikram. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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