Grade 1 winner Howard Wolowitz closed the inaugural Turfway Park Synthetic Championships with a big bang, nearly breaking the six-furlong track record in the $249,670 Holiday Cheer Stakes Dec. 14.
After winning the Sept. 7 Franklin-Simpson Stakes (G1T) at Kentucky Downs, Howard Wolowitz experienced a rough trip in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Del Mar Nov. 2 traveling five furlongs. Having to check on the far turn, the son of Munnings regathered his momentum and continued his charge to finish a better-than-appears ninth, beaten just three lengths.
That determination in the 3-year-old's first start against older and his June 22 maiden-breaking victory over Tapeta at Gulfstream Park gave trainer Jose D'Angelo plenty of confidence Saturday.
"I was very confident with him for the Breeders' Cup, but he had a very unlucky trip," D'Angelo said. "More than the trip, five furlongs for him is probably too short. Six is perfect for him, 6 1/2 better than perfect. He's a nice horse with tons of talent."
In the Holiday Cheer, Howard Wolowitz broke sharp from his inside post position for jockey Emisael Jaramillo and was hustled into good position.
"I thought the post position would be tough for him," D'Angelo said, "but I talked with Jaramillo and we thought try to go fast, let him go and close."
The plan worked to perfection as they sat on the rail directly behind Run Carson and Luis Saez, who set blistering fractions of :21.47 and :43.60.
Turning for home, Run Carson was still full of gas. Tipping into the clear, Jaramillo urged Howard Wolowitz forward. The two battled until the sixteenth pole before Howard Wolowitz gained the upper hand and pulled clear to win by 1 1/2 lengths. One Timer finished third.
Howard Wolowitz paid $6.36 to win. The final time of 1:08.10 was just .07 seconds shy of Fatal Bullet's track record of 1:08.03 set in 2008.
Owned by Al Gold's Gold Square, Howard Wolowitz picked up his second stakes victory in just six starts, winning three races overall for earnings $1,349,960.
Bred in Kentucky by Martha Buckner and Matthew Ernst, Howard Wolowitz was a $240,000 purchase from the Clarkland Farm consignment at the 2022 Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. His sire, Munnings, will stand the 2025 season for $65,000 at Coolmore's Ashford Stud.
D'Angelo is no stranger to shipping overseas for major racing festivals, having placed in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot with Gabaldon this past summer. Howard Wolowitz appears the next from the barn to have international travel plans as D'Angelo has penciled in the Feb. 22 1351 Turf Sprint (G2T) on Saudi Cup (G1) night as his next start. The race is contested at 1,351 meters (between 6 1/2 and seven furlongs).
Video: Holiday Cheer S. (BT)
Awesome Treat Pulls Off Convincing Upset in Holiday Inaugural
When the fillies and mares had their turn to sprint six furlongs in the $249,715 Holiday Inaugural Stakes, it was Awesome Treat who pulled off the surprise at 37-1.
Ridden by Sophie Doyle, the 6-year-old daughter of Awesome Patriot found a perfect outside stalking trip within two lengths of the lead as Miss Arlington set fractions of :21.61 and :44.36.
Taking the lead as they swung into the stretch, Awesome Treat found more gas in the tank to kick away from her competition, defeating 34-1 longshot Bling by 2 3/4 lengths while favored Nice as Pie grabbed her slice in third.
Awesome Treat completed the distance in 1:08.76 and paid $76.56 to her backers. A $2 exacta paid $740.
"Everything went picture perfect," Doyle said. "Got a little bit worried around the turn, she was kind of leaning out a bit. ... But once we got going and hit the stretch, she just took off and there was no catching her."
Awesome Treat earned her sixth victory—second in stakes company—in career start 29. She was bred in Kentucky by Kumud Sikand, who owns the grade 3-placed mare with Rakesh Sikand. Trained by Justin Wojczynski, she has now earned $621,228.
Doyle returned to race riding this spring after missing two years following the birth of her daughter, Emilie. She partnered with Awesome Treat for her first stakes victory back in the saddle Aug. 3 in the KY Downs Preview Mint Ladies Turf Sprint Stakes.
"It's very nice, it's capping off the year very well," Doyle said.
