After some well deserved time off, standout Rustler Hanover bay Keystone Horatio this morning put in his first charted mile since the Ontario Sires Stakes Super Finals in November, 2008.
In the first of eight qualifying dashes over Mohawk Racetrack, the now four-year-old Keystone Horatio left from Post 2 with pilot Randy Waples at his lines. Second for the duration of the mile, the millionaire horse drafted through fractions of :29, :57.4 and 1:26.2, eventually finishing behind Marietta Hall.
Keystone Horatio paced his mile in 1:57. The track was rated 'fast,' with the presiding ORC judges giving a two-second allowance in time.
"Randy got off the bike and said he was very good," trainer John Kopas told Trot Insider this morning. "He'll be entered to the Willowdale (Pacing Series), which has its first leg this Saturday at Woodbine (Racetrack). I wouldn't be starting him if he wasn't ready."
Kopas, who has been nominated for the O'Brien Award of Horsemanship, told Trot Insider that Keystone Horatio will be getting another break after the three-week Willowdale Series, which culminates with a $60,000 (estimated) final on Saturday, January 24.
Kopas said that after the Willowdale he has tentatively planned to have Keystone Horatio back racing full time in mid-March.
To view the charted lines from the eight qualifying races this morning at Mohawk, click here.