Cairo Prince Looks Regal in Nashua
Cairo Prince in the Nashua Stakes on Nov. 3, 2013
In only his second start, Cairo Prince employed a strong turn of foot on the far turn and held sway in the stretch to win the Grade 2, $250,000 Nashua for 2-year-olds on Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The Nashua was preceded on the card by the Grade 3, $250,000 Tempted, a race for 2-year-old fillies won by odds-on favorite Stopchargingmaria. Both races were contested at one mile.
Cairo Prince, coming off a 2 ¾-length debut win in a six-furlong race on October 6 at Belmont Park, was away in fifth in the field of 12 and launched a three-wide rally after Manhattan Johnnie, the 5-2 favorite, ran the opening half-mile in 46.90 seconds.
After gaining the lead with five-sixteenths to travel, Cairo Prince rapidly opened up on his rivals and was in front by five lengths at the eighth pole, with Financial Mogul running on late to reduce the winner's margin to 2 ½ lengths at the finish. Noble Moon, who was bumped at the start by Awesome Wildcat, finished an additional half-length behind in third.
"He keeps improving," said jockey Luis Saez, who also rode Cairo Prince in his debut race. "Today, he was impressive. On the turn, he wanted to run, so I let him, and he was flying. I had a lot of horse at the top of the stretch and he just kept going."
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Cairo Prince, the first black-type winner for freshman sire Pioneerof the Nile, completed the distance in 1:37.59 and returned $10.60 for a $2 win wager as the 4-1 second choice.
"There was a strong headwind down the backside," noted Arthur Magnuson, assistant to winning trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. "We thought he'd be pretty close, but you worry at the five-sixteenths pole about how much he has left after he's made a run into that wind. Of course, you're also excited about the Remsen [Grade 2, $400,000, Aqueduct, November 30] and Florida and next year in May."
Rick Violette and Leah Gyarmati, the respective trainers of Financial Mogul and Noble Moon, said their horses also will be considered for the Remsen, which is expected to attract Grade 1 Foxwoods Champagne runner-up Honor Code.
Cairo Prince, owned by Namcook Stables, Paul Braverman, Harvey A. Clarke, W. Craig Robertson, III, earned $150,000 for his Nashua victory. His bankroll now stands at $192,000.
Completing the order of finish were Intense Holiday, Jose Sea View, Protonico, Grand Arrival, Louisiana Flyboy, Master Lightning, Manhattan Johnnie, Awesome Wildcat, and Tiznowforamerica.
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