Lead Stops The Tin Man
July 1st, 2007By Jude T. Feld
Getting 10 pounds from geriatric superhorse The Tin Man, four-year-old Out of Control managed to eek out a win in Saturday’s $250,000 American Handicap (G2) at Hollywood Park in a stretch duel reminiscent of this year’s Belmont Stakes (G1).
With leading rider Michael Baze in the irons, Out of Control was three-wide on the backstretch and final turn. He took the lead from The Tin Man in the stretch, lost the advantage between calls, and then fought back gamely on the outside, finishing 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:46.89.
The Tin Man, who carried 123 pounds to Out of Control’s 113, finished a half-length in front of Fast and Furious in the field of six.
The American Handicap (G2) was Out of Control’s initial stakes victory. Bred in Brazil by owners TNT Stud and trained by Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel, Out of Control has won 4 of 8 starts and $249,371.
“We had no excuses,†said Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella who trains millionaire The Tin Man. “Ten pounds was just too much for him to give Out of Control today.â€
A lot of industry insiders are not fond of handicaps, wishing to promote racing’s star equine performers by allowing them win after win under weight-for-age conditions.
Even Mandella has said many times that he thinks all Grade 1 events should be weight-for-age.
Racing traditionalists, like myself, enjoy handicap racing. It certainly makes for interesting wagering possibilities and separates the men from the boys when it comes to bantering about who is a “great†horse.
One of the few modern-day horsemen who really considers weights when selecting races for his horses is Frankel. He looks for spots where there might be an edge due to the weight spread and enters accordingly.
“The whole game is based on weight,†he says.
Truer words were never spoken, just ask The Tin Man.
