LRE Racing's T Kraft dug deep in the final furlong to hold off a furious late charge from Crazy Mason to win by a nose in the Vosburgh Stakes (G3) Oct. 1 at Belmont Park.
T Kraft, under Junior Alvarado, broke alertly and adapted to the lack of pace by establishing the lead and taking the field through opening fractions of :23.26 and :46.16. Longshot El Grande O and favorite Senior Officer raced off the leader through the opening stages. Crazy Mason settled near the back of the pack under Manny Franco.
"He ran well and got away good and Junior gave him a good ride," winning trainer Bill Mott said. "The horse we thought was the speed horse (Contrary Thinking) got away poorly and Junior knew what to do after that."
As they rounded the final turn, Crazy Mason made his move under Franco, closing the gap with every stride. Swinging seven wide for the stretch run, he exploded down the outside and just missed catching T Kraft.
"By a whisker, that was close; I didn't know if I got it or not," Alvarado said. "That other horse (Crazy Mason) came running very strong at the end, but my horse fought for me there."
Franco said he was impressed with his mount's effort, but wished there was more pace to help the consistent son of Coal Front .
"He ran well. He always shows up. He just didn't get there," Franco said.
The final time for the 7-furlong race was 1:22.78. He paid $13.88 to win.
T Kraft, who was second last time out in the Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, earned his first graded stakes victory in the Vosburgh. Now the $110,000 yearling purchase will set his sights on the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1).
As part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In, T Kraft earned an automatic, fees-paid berth into the 6-furlong Breeders' Cup Sprint Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
"I knew the 9 (Crazy Mason) would favor the long stretch here at Belmont closing, so when they hit the wire, I thought it was a dead heat," said winning owner Lee Einsidler of LRE Racing. "We're obviously thrilled to win, it's a huge race, Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In,' and T Kraft seems to just be getting better as a 4-year-old.
"If he's doing good, the Breeders' Cup is paying, so I'm sure we'll have to get a hotel room and a flight to Lexington and root for T Kraft. He's improving every race—it comes up quick and 6 (furlongs) is a little sharp, but he certainly belongs. He showed that today."
