Yoshida Upsets Turf Classic

[Wandering Eyes]

YOSHIDA (JPN) (c, 4, Heart’s Cry {Jpn}–Hilda’s Passion, by Canadian Frontier), a ‘TDN Rising Star’ and promising sophomore last year, ran easily his career-best race in his 4-year-old bow to take the GI Old Forester Turf Classic S. at Churchill. Winning last spring’s James W. Murphy S. at Pimlico, the bay was fifth in the GI Belmont Derby and just missed when second in both the GII Hall of Fame S. and GIII Saranac S. before breaking through in the GIII Hill Prince S. to close his 3-year-old account Oct. 7 at Belmont. Spotted confidently off the layoff here, Yoshida dropped to 99-10 by post from a 15-1 morning line and settled in fourth behind splits of :24.86 and :50.61. Making a sudden three-wide move nearing the straightaway, he forced the hand of favored Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid) to his inside, and those two squared off entering the final furlong. The chalk was game, but Yoshida was always doing slightly better work, and he hit the wire three-quarters of a length to the good in 1:54.64. Lifetime Record: 8-4-3-0, $849,100. O-China Horse Club, WinStar Farm, Head of Plains Partners et al; B-Northern Farm (Jpn); T-William I. Mott.

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