Gleam of Hope, guided by Corey Lanerie, rallied along the rail to win the $200,000 Budweiser Select Cradle Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths at Cincinnati's River Downs Sept. 7.
Racing mid-pack in the nine-horse field after showing little early speed, the 2-year-old son of City Zip rallied into the stretch and slipped through to get the lead from pacesetting Marathon Moon and Guys Reward approaching the eighth pole. He won driving and completed the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:46 4/5 on a sealed track that was rated "good." Track management decided 90 minutes before the race to move it from the turf because of potentially unsafe conditions due to earlier rain.
Guys Reward, ridden by Otto Thorwarth, held the place spot by a neck over the late-closing Harrods Creek and Hector Rosario Jr. Marathon Moon, who dueled with Eddie Set Go on the front end, wound up fourth. Strike the Tiger, favored at odds of 3-2, gave way after stalking the pace and finished seventh. Quarter-mile fractions for the first six furlongs were :24 1/5, :48, and 1:12 3/5.
Gleam of Hope has won three of four starts for trainer Anthony Reinstedler. He earned $120,000 for owners Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Asbury, who also bred him. Coming off an allowance win on the turf at River Downs Aug. 15, Gleam of Hope has banked $151,682 in his brief career. The chestnut colt is out of the Vice Regent mare Victorious Vice.
Sent off as the second choice, the winner paid $6.60, $3.80, and $3.60. Guys Reward returned $12.60 and $11.80 while rounding out a $2 exacta worth $134.60. Harrods Creek was $11.60 to show.