Posse, the 4-5 favorite with Donnie Meche up, took the lead on the far turn and drew away for the easy 3 ½-length victory over Del Diablo in Monday's $160,000 grade III Kentucky Breeders' Cup for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs.Coming off a third in the Three Chimneys Juvenile on Kentucky Derby Day, the son of Silver Deputy covered the 5 ½ furlongs on a fast track in 1:03.79 and paid $3.60, $2.80 and $2.20. Del Diablo, with Tony D'Amico aboard, closed from next-to-last in the field of eight to take the place spot and paid $4.60 and $3.40. Blackjack Boy, with Jon Court in the saddle, finished another 2 ½ lengths back in third and paid $3.00.Owned by the Heiligbrodt Racing Stable and trained by Steve Asmussen, Posse pocketed $102,300 to vault his lifetime earnings to $145,665. The win was his second following a 13 ½ length score in his debut at Keeneland on April 10. That impressive win led to Posse's role as the favorite in the Three Chimneys Juvenile. Vibs took the early lead while Posse set just behind him through fractions of :21.74 for the quarter-mile and :45.10 for the half. As the field moved around the far turn, Posse swept to the lead while Del Diablo commenced his rally to take the runner up spot in the stretch.
"His race today is indicative of the type of 2-year-old that he is," said Asmussen. After that Derby Day race I was glad that he was able to come back today and show his true self. The plan at this point is to bring him back for the Bashford Manor (closing day, July 7)." Asmussen, who sent horses forward in six of Lone Star Park's Texas Championship Day on Memorial Day, was asked why he was at Churchill instead of his home state of Texas? "I was 4-5 (odds) up here, down there I was 20-to-1," said Asmussen. "They weren't going to be taking a winner's circle photo of me down at Lone Star."
Chart, Equibase)
