Robert F. Carey Memorial H. (gr. III)
(gr. IIIT , 8f ,)
SPRUCE RUN
(CH h,
115
lb) $90,000
Repriced —Spruce Luck , by
Big Spruce
B—Marsetta,
KY.;
O—Golden Dome Stable;
T—Linda Rice
Fort Prado
(GR/RO h,
121
lb) $30,000
El Prado (IRE) —Fort Pond , by
Fortunate Prospect
B—David P. Block,
IL.;
O—Team Block;
T—Chris M. Block
Remind
(B h,
118
lb) $16,500
Deputy Minister —Watch the Time , by
Timeless Moment
B—Claiborne Farm,
KY.;
O—Claiborne Farm;
T—William I. Mott
Margins: neck, 2, 2½. Others: Wimplestiltskin 115($9,000) , G P Fleet 120($4,500) , Old Deuteronomy 118 , Major Rhythm 116 , Gondolieri (CHI) 118 , Just See James 113 . Winning Jockey, Rex A. Stokes, III.
Spruce Run is no stranger to stakes territory, having won and placed in two added-money events this year. But the 7-year-old hit a milestone Sept. 24 when he won his first graded stakes, the Robert F. Carey Memorial Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Hawthorne.
Trainer Linda Rice selected Spruce Run as a yearling at the 1999 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale for client Golden Dome Stable. Patrick Hoppel, agent, signed the $52,000 ticket on behalf of Rice. Spruce Run was consigned by Indian Creek, agent.
Rice has conditioned the son of Repriced in all of his 45 career starts for Golden Dome Stable, the partnership of Bob Harris Sr. and his son, Bob Harris Jr. of New Jersey. Both men attended the University of Notre Dame and named their stable after the school’s famous golden dome. They named Spruce Run after a reservoir in New Jersey.
Spruce Run, who has made all but two of his starts on turf, entered the Carey Memorial off a two-length score in the $75,000 Labor Day Stakes at Mountaineer. Rice said she is looking to point Spruce Run to either the Oct. 14 Cliff Hanger Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Meadowlands or Oct. 28 Knickerbocker Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Belmont.
“He’s doing very well,” Rice said. “He was broken and trained in Florida and I’ve had him since he was a 2-year-old. He’s progressed very nicely. He’s had some ups and downs, but I think he’s on top of his game right now.”
Curtis Kenimer bred Spruce Run in Kentucky in the name of Marsetta, his farm near Paris, Ky. Kenimer, a native of Georgia, has had a boarding operation in Kentucky since 1979. The breeder privately acquired Spruce Run’s dam, Spruce Luck, as a yearling from Jerry Wheeler, one of his early clients.
Kenimer campaigned the Big Spruce mare to eight wins, including the 1987 Modesty Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Arlington Park. Spruce Luck made all but one of her 26 starts on turf and set a course record at Meadowlands of 1:39 for a mile and 70 yards in 1985.
Spruce Run is the eighth foal produced from Spruce Luck, and the mare’s only stakes winner, although she’s had a number of durable runners who made many starts. Her third foal, Ramanujan, by Rahy, placed third in the Barretts Juvenile Stakes. Spruce Run’s last reported foal is 4-year-old Tree of Life (by Wild Zone).
Repriced is the sire of 10 other stakes winners, including 2005 added-money winner Rich in Spirit (gr. IIIT). Repriced stands at Darby Dan Farm near Lexington. His 2005 fee was $5,000.—A.W.
