(From Turfway Park)
Loch Dubh proved himself a good investment Jan. 3 at Turfway Park, drawing off to win the $50,000 Turfway Prevue Stakes in his second start off a $15,000 claim at Churchill Downs.
Asked what prompted the claim, trainer Jeff Talley said, “He’s a big, good-looking horse. We watched him in the paddock every race at Churchill, and then (trainer Eddie Kenneally) ran him for thirty (thousand). I was mad I didn’t take him that day.”
Loch Dubh was claimed a week later Nov. 14 by Mike Maker for Sidney Karmia’s Texas Toyco LLC and then moved to Talley’s barn. In his next start the Friend's Lake colt faced allowance company at Mountaineer and won by five lengths.
“I think he wants to go short,” Talley continued. “They had been running him long, and the day we took him they ran him short and he won by seven. I think that’s the key to him. I’ve been trying to get him to go behind horses and rate a little bit, and he’s responded. He had kind of been rushed off his feet every time, and he’s a big, long-striding horse. It takes him a while to get together.”
Loch Dubh ran the 6 1/2-furlong Turfway Prevue exactly as taught, sitting off the pace early, moving up at the half behind a three-way fight for the lead, and drawing off to win by two lengths. Victor Lebron was aboard for the winning ride.
Taking the lead early as expected and pressed by Back to Gold and Sirius Black, 2-5 favorite Rudy Flyer set hot fractions of :22.66 and :45.40. Back to Gold took the lead briefly at the top of the stretch but settled for second. Rudy Flyer finished 3 1/2 lengths farther back in third. Final time for the race was 1:16.72.
Completing the order of finish were Sundays Baby Grand, Sirius Black, Melo, Codeofthebayou, Bullnose Brick, and Dixiessaltshaker. Gimmeawinn was a late scratch.
Loch Dubh was third choice at 6-1 and paid $14.40 for the win. He now has three wins from six starts and career earnings of $52,876.
The Turfway Prevue is the first of three local prep races for the March 21 Lane’s End Stakes (gr. II). Next on the local trail is the one-mile WEBN Stakes Jan. 31, followed by the 1 1/16-mile John A. Battaglia Memorial Stakes Feb. 28.