By Karen M. Johnson
Lord Snowdon, using his patented late move, wore down Man of Danger and Debussy in the final yards to post the first stakes win of his career in the $81,600 Paumonok Handicap at Aqueduct Jan. 26.
Lord Snowdon, a 5-year-old gelded son of Seeking the Gold, was a one-length winner over pacesetter Man of Danger. Debussy finished third, a neck behind Man of Danger, in the six-furlong Paumonok. Leo, Like Now, Adore the Gold, and City Attraction, the 2-1 favorite, completed the order of finish.
Ridden by Ramon Dominguez, Lord Snowdon trailed the field and was 11 lengths behind pacesetter Man of Danger through the opening quarter mile, which was run in :22.45. After a half-mile was completed in :45.25, Lord Snowdon was in sixth position, five lengths behind Man of Danger.
As the field swung into the stretch, Lord Snowdon began to mount his rally. Dominguez, who has ridden Lord Snowdon several times before, said he wasn’t surprised the gelding lumbered along for the first half-mile.
“He always finishes up good,” said Dominguez, the leader rider at Aqueduct’s winter meet. “He loves to win.”
The winner returned $10.20 as the third choice. The exacta returned $43.80; the trifecta $326. The final time was 1:10.20 over a fast track.
Tony Dutrow trains Lord Snowdon for Michael Dubb, Sanford Goldfarb, et al.
Dutrow’s assistant, Philip Scott, saddled the Paumonok winner.
“That’s just the horse he is; he’s never in a rush,” Scott said. “The pace was not really fast, but fast enough for him to close and be competitive. We love to have this horse in the barn. He gives you all he has got.”
Dutrow claimed Lord Snowdon for $75,000 a year ago at Aqueduct, and won four allowance races with the gelding before his victory in the Paumonok.
Lord Snowdon, who was bred by W.S. Farish & Kilroy Thoroughbred Partnership, is out of Weekend Storm, the daughter of 1992 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Weekend Surprise, and the half-sister to 1992 Horse of the Year A.P. Indy and 1990 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Summer Squall.
Following his win in the Paumonok, Lord Snowdon’s record stands at 8-6-3 from 26 starts, with career earnings of $286,810.