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Sunday, Jul. 05, 2009

Mr. Sidney wins Firecracker at Churchill Downs

wins firecracker by 11/2 lengths

LOUISVILLE — The horse Mr. Sidney has become is not exactly the one Lee Einsidler thought he was getting when he plunked down $3.9 million for the bay son of Storm Cat at the 2005 Keeneland September yearling sale.

But Mr. Sidney keeps taking steps toward justifying the high opinion his connections had of him from the start.

Though his pedigree suggests dirt would be his surface of choice, Mr. Sidney showed once again on Saturday it is the lush grass he relishes. The 5-year-old horse earned his second career graded stakes win when he surged past Inca King on the outside to win the Grade II Firecracker Handicap by 11/2 lengths over a yielding turf at Churchill Downs.

Out of the late Grade I-winning mare Tomisue's Delight — a full sister to 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft — Mr. Sidney scored his breakthrough win this April when he captured the Grade I Maker's Mark Mile on the turf at Keeneland.

After a failed dirt experiment in the Grade I Metropolitan Handicap where he finished 11th on May 25, Mr. Sidney's connections returned him to the turf, where he could show his true ability.

"When I bought him, I though he was the best horse in the sale, and I thought he'd run on dirt, but that turned out not to be the case," Einsidler said. "That's OK because this horse has two important stakes wins now.

"He deserved a chance at (the Metropolitan Handicap) based on his pedigree, but ... he's won five races since he's been (on grass)."

Mr. Sidney made his career debut on dirt, a third-place finish in March 2007, but was switched to turf after suffering a cannon-bone fracture that sidelined him for more than a year.

Unlike his effort in the Met Mile — where he never made a serious bid — Mr. Sidney relaxed under regular rider Kent Desormeaux on Saturday, backing up to sixth in the seven-horse field as defending race winner Thorn Song showcased his early speed through fractions of :23.79 and :47.28.

By the far turn, a weakening Thorn Song was backing up, and Inca King emerged from a four-horse pack to take the lead.

Mr. Sidney, who advanced just behind Tizdejavu, swung out four-wide and delivered an impressive turn of foot that allowed him to hit the wire in 1:37.28 for the 1-mile test.

"He's a playful horse, but today he was totally professional," Desormeaux said. "He really gave me a lovely ride. He was in hand and attentive to my needs the entire trip."

Seaspeak came up for third, 33/4 lengths behind Inca King, and Thorn Song faded to fourth.

"He really struggled. You could probably physically see it with him," said Mike Smith, jockey of Thorn Song. "I was searching for some ground (that he'd like), and I just never hit anything."

Unlike some of his foes, Mr. Sidney has proved to be an even more dangerous horse on rain-soaked turf. His win in the Maker's Mark also came over yielding conditions.

"He's won on firm turf, but obviously we know with us maybe it helps us a little," Einsidler said. "We know for us it can only help us."

Trained by Bill Mott, Mr. Sidney will probably be pointed toward the Grade II Fourstardave on Aug. 2 and the Grade II Bernard Baruch Handicap on Aug. 28 at Saratoga, although Einsidler added that off his latest effort "we have to think about the (Grade I) Arlington Million (at Arlington Park on Aug. 8).

"Long term, we'd like to think he's Breeders' Cup quality," his owner said.