DIXIELAND STAKES : Celluloid Hero a hit in first stakes run
Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006
HOT SPRINGS — Mac Robertson didn’t know what to do with Celluloid Hero, so the trainer decided to run in the $ 50, 000 Dixieland Stakes.
Good decision.
Sneaking through along the rail late, Celluloid Hero provided Robertson and jockey Seth Martinez their first Oaklawn Park stakes victory by winning the Dixieland by a half-length Friday afternoon.
Urban Guy finished second, 1 1 / 2 lengths ahead of Fidrych. Catonight, the 6-5 favorite, was another head back in fourth.
A 16-1 shot, Celluloid Hero paid $ 35. 40, $ 11. 80 and $ 6. 20. Urban Guy paid $ 4. 40 and $ 4. Fidrych paid $ 4. 20.
Following Catonight were Timetobook, Rocket Beauty, Captain Troy, Out Our Way and Easy Slew. Corredor de Plata was a late scratch. Robertson said he was taking a “little bit” of a shot by
run-1 ning in the Dixieland, a 5 / 2-furlong event for 3-year-olds. But he said his options were limited after Celluloid Hero’s last start, an entry-level allowance victory Dec. 1 at Hawthorne in suburban Chicago. “But once you win two races, where are going to run ?” said Robertson, the son of trainer Hugh Robertson, who owns the colt with Homewrecker Racing LLC. The Dixieland proved a wise choice, especially since the laterunning son of Glitterman had a solid pace to run at. Catonight took the ninehorse field through an opening quarter of : 22. 01 and a half-mile in : 46. 07. Seventh early, Celluloid Hero advanced to third in midstretch and came up the rail to catch Urban Guy at the wire. Celluloid Hero covered
1 the 5 / 2 furlongs over a fast track in 1 : 05. 15. It was his third consecutive victory in four lifetime starts.
“He’s a pretty nice horse,” Robertson said. “It set up for him. They let him through on the rail. We got a perfect trip.”
Celluloid Hero earned $ 30, 000 for the victory, increasing his career total to $ 64, 440. He was a $ 50, 000 Keeneland September yearling purchase. Hugh Robertson and Homewrecker Racing also campaign Grade III winner Three Hour Nap, who is training at Oaklawn.
Hugh Robertson has about 50 horses in Chicago, while his son has about 25 at Oaklawn. Mac Robertson said future plans for Celluloid Hero are pending.
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