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Westrock Stables' Den's Legacy sat chilly behind the leading trio for more than six furlongs, dove through a gap along the inside at the top of the stretch, and charged home a half-length winner of the Grade 3, $100,000 Generous at Hollywood Park on Saturday. The son of Medaglia d'Oro safely held off a late bid from Rising Legend and completed one mile on firm turf in 1:36 1/5. "I knew this horse would go through wherever I pointed him. He's pretty handy that way," winning jockey Garrett Gomez said. "He was hitting the hole that wasn't there yet. When the hole opened up, I told him, 'Let's go.' I just didn't want to go from zero to 100 as fast as I could. I kind of pushed the gas pedal down and he kicked on. I didn't want to get into him any more than needed. I didn't think (Rising Legend) could get to me." Bettors were on the money as Den's Legacy, the 6-5 favorite, returned $4.60, $3 and $2.40. The respective second and third choices, Rising Legend and Shining Copper, completed the top three while separated by 1 1/4 lengths at the wire. Rounding out the order of finish were One Firm Cat, Tree of Life, Under Review, Counting Days, Christopher Street, Dancin Upside Down and Ekahi. |
Dancin Upside Down set the Generous fractions of :23 3/5, :47 4/5 and 1:12 2/5 before exiting contention at the top of the stretch.
Sixth and second in his first two starts, Den's Legacy finally broke his maiden by a neck at Del Mar on August 26 going six furlongs on Polytrack. A distant fifth to stablemate Power Broker in the Grade 1 FrontRunner next out, he was the runner-up in two grass stakes at Santa Anita -- the Zuma Beach and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Preview -- heading into the Generous. His record now stands at 7-2-3-0, $161,350.
Bred in Florida by Gaye Swartz, Den's Legacy is trained by Bob Baffert.
"I would guess Bob will keep him on grass," assistant trainer Mike Marlow said. "That's his best, I think. I think today was his most impressive race."
Den's Legacy was produced by the unraced War Chant mare Sunshine Song, a half-sister to Grade 1 queen C. S. Silk, Grade 3 winner Remember Sheikh and multiple stakes winner Memory Tap. All were produced by stakes vixen Remember the Day, who is also the second dam of Grade 3 winner Victorina.
