Gigante and Joe Ramos did not care what the tote board said. The duo may have been the second longest shot in the field of nine Wednesday in the 18th running of the $150,000 Caesars at Horseshoe Indianapolis, but that did not deter their game plan in scoring the title in the Black Type event.
Gigante drew the far outside post when the horses lined up for the one-mile turf event. They were that last in the gate but one of the first ones out. Ramos had a game plan to get out in front quickly, and that is exactly what they did. Dude N Colorado and Irad Ortiz Jr. also left briskly from the center of the track and the two met up just before the first turn, giving Gigante just enough room to cross over to the inside rail and lead the way.
“I knew the five (Dude N Colorado) had a lot of early speed, and I told Nemo (Vallance) that if we broke sharp enough, we were going for the lead,” said Ramos, who is the defending jockey champion from 2023 at Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville. “I saw the five was taking back a little, so I pushed my horse to go on and get to the lead because I didn’t want to be out around the first turn.”
Down the backstretch, Gigante still had a convincing lead but with a lot of talent behind him, he was going to have to produce a big final half. Around the final turn, everyone was in attack mode, including Wadsworth and Florent Geroux from the back of the pack. They swung wide while Gigante held his ground on the inside with numerous horses in between them.
At the head of the lane, Gigante still had the lead and was not slowing down, rallying home with the threat of Wadsworth coming at him heavily on the outside. The wire arrived just in time for Gigante, who scored the win by a nose over Wadsworth, the favorite of the field. Dude N Colorado finished third.
“I knew the five was on my right in the stretch,” added Ramos, a native of Puerto Rico. “I was not paying attention to the others, but I knew they would be coming. At the quarter pole, I asked him (Gigante), and he responded, and I felt right then we had a good chance for the win.”
Gigante paid $68 for the win. It was the first start of 2023 for the Not This Time three-year-old colt, who was a $120,000 yearling purchase at Keeneland. He is now three for six in his young career for owners Craig Taylor’s lapetus Racing and Victoria Taylor’s Diamond T Racing. Steve Asmussen trains the colt, who surpassed $250,000 in career earnings.
“This horse got here from Scott (Blasi) from Churchill, so we really didn’t know much about him,” said Nemo Vallance, who has worked for Steve Asmussen as an assistant on and off for a couple of decades. “But Scott always has them prepped and ready to go for races like this so we knew we would be ready. “Plus looking at his lines, he has had some good works. Steve (Asmussen) never gives much advice. He just says go win and good luck.
Horseshoe Indianapolis Handicap
Safeen and jockey Luis Saez made their first appearance in elevated racing action Wednesday, scoring an impressive victory in the 15th running of the $150,000 Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Safeen got away fifth as several horses left for the lead. Around the turn, Safeen on the outside had the most momentum. It took the length of the stretch to get there but Safeen timed the wire just right for the win by a half length over Mohawk Trail. Bling finished third.
Safeen paid $10 for the win. The sophomore daughter of War Front earned her second win in five career outings. Safeen was an $18,000 purchase from Keeneland January All Ages Sale as a two-year-old. Bred by Shadwell Farm LLC, she made her racing debut last September for owners Galvin Fergus and Rebecca Hillen. The start in the Horseshoe Indianapolis was her fifth start at her fifth different track.
Sagamore Sired
Good Forever and jockey Marcelino Pedroza Jr. had good gate speed in the five and one-half furlong sprint and was in contention early before backing off the top spot. With the inside horses under control, Good Forever was being pursued on the outside by Zappinit and jockey Joshua Morales.
Good Forever was strong to the wire for the win in the 10th running of the $100,000 Sagamore Sired by three-quarters of a length.
Zappinit finished second over Spotonjustice for third.
Good Forever was the favorite of the field, paying $5.80 for the win. The Forever d’Oro chestnut was making his second start of 2023, earning his first win of the season, breaking a trio of second place finishes dating back to last fall.
Swifty Sired Fillies
Forever Noted and jockey Eddie Perez were determined entrants in the 10th running of the $100,000 Swifty Sired Fillies.
Forever Noted got the lead early on the inside but was pressured by Girls Are Tuffer and Malcolm Franklin with Imagine the Moon and DeShawn Parker also hanging close.
In the stretch, Forever Noted moved to the outside and tangled once again with Girls Are Tuffer and Imagine the Moon. Once they passed the duo in mid-stretch, they were in command of the race. Several late closers began to come into the picture, including Wildcatjustice and Fernando De La Cruz but Forever Noted was well in hand at the wire, winning by one and one-quarter lengths.
Forever Noted paid $23.20 for the win. It was only the third career start for the daughter of Forever d’Oro. She catapulted her earnings for owner Marion Gorham to more than $86,000 with the win.
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