Victory came like clockwork for Mrs. Fitriani Hay's Clock Tower Dec. 1 at Del Mar as the 2-year-old Not This Time gelding went gate-to-wire in the $101,000 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3T).
Sent to the lead from the far outside gate in the seven-horse field, Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez established a clear lead within the opening sixteenth of the one-mile contest. Unchallenged throughout, Clock Tower set easy fractions of :23.62, :48.75, and 1:13.72.
As the 4-5 favorite showed the way, 8-5 second choice Scipio raced last down the backstretch beneath Flavien Prat. Prat pressed the launch button entering the far turn and rocketed his way up to second as they turned for home.
However, Velazquez let Clock Tower loose at the 3/16th pole and the outcome was never in doubt. Still full of run, Clock Tower opened up and hit the wire 2 1/2 lengths clear of Scipio with Origami another 1 1/4 lengths back in third.
Clock Tower completed the mile in 1:36.78 and paid $3.80 to win.
Trained by Wesley Ward, Clock Tower broke his maiden on third asking at Kentucky Downs Aug. 29 before finishing third, beaten two lengths, while setting a quicker tempo in the Oct. 6 Bourbon Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland.
Clock Tower was bred in Kentucky by Clarkland Farm, who sold him for $100,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He has now earned $225,938 through five starts.
It was the second big win of the day for Not This Time and Velazquez. The sire's daughter Sacred Wish, with the Hall of Fame jockey in the irons, won the Matriarch Stakes (G1T) later in the card.
