Speightstown’s graded stakes winner Bobby’s Wicked One scored a three-length victory Thursday at Fair Grounds Racecourse when he took down the traditional opening day $100,000 Thanksgiving Classic in front-running style (VIDEO).
Winner of Keeneland’s Commonwealth S. (G3) in April, when he earned a 100 Beyer Speed Figure, the 4-year-old chestnut duplicated that number in Thursday’s win. Speeding to the lead right from the break, Bobby’s Wicked One rolled through a quarter-mile in :21.66 and a very fast half-mile in :44.30. Still full of run in the stretch, he pulled away to win easily, stopping the timer in 1:08.68, just a half-second off the track record.
“I knew he was going to be fresh and I’m glad he put in this race,” said winning trainer Al Stall, Jr. ‘We know how good he is; I’m really proud of him and happy with this performance.”
“We have a lot of options with him now,” Stall added. “We can keep him here and run in a few stakes races which we’ll probably end up doing,” he said.
Bobby’s Wicked one, who has earned $484,257, races for Autumn Hill Farms Racing Stables, Inc. He was bred in Kentucky by Ramona Bass.
