Alcomo, a multiple stakes winner in his native Brazil, finally showed his winning U.S. form when he took over off the final turn and drew away for a 1 3/4-length score in the $200,000 Greenwood Cup July 18 at Philadelphia Park Casino & Racetrack (VIDEO).
A 5-year-old son of Rainbow Corner, Alcomo’s victory earned him a berth in the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup Marathon at Santa Anita Park as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series. This was his first win in four starts since shipping to the States earlier this season. Eduardo Caramori is the winning trainer.
Ridden by Willie Martinez, Alcomo raced near the back of the field of six in the 1 1/2-mile Greenwood Cup, content to allow Luna Park to set a pedestrian pace. Luna Park, with Josiah Hampshire Jr. aboard, clicked off splits of :26.01, :51.85, 1:17.97, and 1:43.76 for a mile. Eldaafer pressed the pace, while 3-10 favorite Nite Light tracked in third under John Velazquez.
When they rounded the final turn Luna Park, Eldaafer, Nite Light, and Alcomo were lined up across the track, but Alcomo quickly separated himself from the group approaching the eighth pole with a four-wide bid. He opened up a commanding lead by mid-stretch and was hand-ridden to the wire in a final time of 2:31.88 on the fast main track.
Alaazo rallied well from off the pace to get second under Frankie Pennington, 1 1/2 lengths in front of third-place Eldaafer.
Alcomo made 16 starts in Brazil and the United Arab Emirates from 2006-08, winning seven times, two of them in Brazilian group stakes. The bay horse was runner-up in both the April 11 Bonasera Stakes at Hawthorne and May 7 Nasty and Bold Stakes at Belmont, his first two American starts. Last out, he was fifth to Eldaafer in the June 5 Brooklyn Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont, more than 15 lengths off the pace in the slop.
Alcomo was bred in Brazil by Haras Campestre and is out of the Tokatee mare Amazing Singer. He is owned by Abdul Rahman Al Jasmi.
The winner paid $13.20, $5.40, and $16.40. Alaazo, who returned $7.20 and $14.60, filled out a $69 exacta (3-5). Eldaafer was $10.80 to show and the final part of a $328.60 trifecta (3-5-4).
