QUEENS COUNTY (G3) RECAP: Saturday, December 11, 2010

Saturday, December 11, 2010

 

 

MORE THAN A REASON UPSETS QUEENS COUNTY

By Ashley Herriman

 

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – More Than a Reason captured the 105^th running of the Grade 3 Queens County at Aqueduct Racetrack in late-running fashion Saturday afternoon, posting a last-to-first upset victory in New York’s final graded stakes race of the year.

 

Trailing as Seniors Pride led through opening fractions of 24.91 and 50.49, More Than a Reason advanced on the far turn to close willingly through the stretch under Eddie Castro and prevail by a head over Stormy’s Majesty, who pressed the pace throughout.

 

The final time for the 1 3/16-mile race was 1:57.69 over Aqueduct’s fast inner track.

 

“I just play around with him,” said Persaud, who claimed the 5-year-old son of More Than Ready for $15,000 at Aqueduct in November 2008. “I baby him. He’s my best horse. I don’t train him hard, I just run him. That’s all he does. He’s big hearted, but you have to ride him right. One run, that’s it. If you keep him too close to the pace or try to move too early, you get nothing.”

 

Persaud, who trained More Than a Reason to a third-place finish in last year’s edition of the Queens County, said he had been pointing toward this race, which marked the first victory in a graded stakes for both horse and trainer.

 

Sent off at 19-1, the second-longest shot on the board in the field of six, More Than a Reason returned $40.20 to his backers in the crowd of 5,444 and earned $60,000 for owner Anthony Calabrese. With a lifetime record of 12-9-11 from 60 starts, More Than a Reason has now earned $477,720.

 

Favored Arson Squad checked in third, and Modern Cowboy, Seniors Pride and Pedrolino completed the order of finish.

 

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