Rapid Redux, who has won 21 consecutive races, has been established as the 3-5 morning line favorite for a $17,000 starter allowance Jan. 4 at Laurel Park. However, trainer David Wells revealed that his star “grabbed a quarter” in his right front foot a few days ago and his status is at least slightly in doubt.
“There is a little cut on his right front foot. We are a little bit concerned about tomorrow,” Wells said Jan. 3. “It is kind of up in the air. We are working as hard as we can to get it healed up for where it isn’t tender. It does bother him to push on it. It is a little spot, the size of a thumbnail. I had the blacksmith take off his glue-on shoes because we thought that was aggravating but it is all coming from where he grabbed himself.”
Rapid Redux, who broke the modern-day United States record for consecutive wins last November at Mountaineer Park with his 20th straight score, looks to extend his winning streak to 22 on opening day of the Maryland racing season at Laurel. The now 6-year-old was a perfect 19-of-19 in 2011.
“Laurel is a really good surface and hopefully we can try to extend our streak tomorrow afternoon,” added Wells. “We will be on the road by 9 a.m. if everything is good to go.”
Owner Robert Cole, a Baltimore County native, claimed the son of Pleasantly Perfect at Penn National for $6,250 on Oct. 13, 2010. Since then, the gelding has won 22 of 23 races with earnings of $256,384.The win streak began Dec. 2, 2010 at Penn National.
“Robert and I talked back and forth today,” Wells said. “Laurel lays out the red carpet every time and it is great to go there. I hope we can have this little cut to where it does not bother him. We surely don’t want to get beat and I want to do what is best by the horse.”
Seven runners are set to face Rapid Redux in the one-mile test for horses who have started for a claiming price of $5,000 or less in 2010 or 2011. Awesome Rhythm (7-2) finished just a length behind Rapid Redux on Dec. 13, while Gold Casing (6-1) is looking for his 12th lifetime win at Laurel Park.
