Paraneck Stable's Achilles of Troy made short work of six rival three-year-olds Saturday afternoon, posting a 4 3/4 length victory in the 27th running of the $70,915 Whirlaway Stakes.
The overwhelming 1-4 favorite, the Notebook colt broke sharply under jockey Ramon Dominguez, then settled behind One Way Flight, who took the lead from the inside post. As the first snow of a major storm began to fall, Achilles of Troy stalked the front-runner through fractions of :23 :46 4/5 and 1:11, drew even at the quarter-pole and then took off after a sharp, right-handed whip from Dominguez to come home in 1:43 1/5 on Aqueduct's fast inner track. He paid $2.60. One Way Flight held for second, with Rob'em Blind, Platinum Couple, River City Rebel, Eye for Style and Psychotic Reaction trailing.
Results chart
It was the third straight win for Achilles of Troy whose lifetime record is now 3-1-1 from six starts. Dominguez replaced jockey Alan Garcia after owner Ernie Paragallo and trainer Jennifer Pedersen decided they wanted a more experienced jockey aboard Achilles of Troy has they continue along the Triple Crown trail.
"That was nothing more than an open gallop," Paragallo said. "Ramon said that when you ask him, he just accelerates. At the three-eighths pole, you knew he was going in sensible fractions. As soon as he chirped him, he just explodes. As soon as Ramon asked him to ease up, he eased up. This horse can do anything you want him to do; that's why, in the morning; he doesn't work fast because we don't want him to work fast. If you ask him, he'll go out and work :56 in the morning.
"He's got another race under his belt now. He's got the experience. We'll get him down to Florida the early part of this week He's going to the Classic Mile Training Center. I'll probably send Jen (trainer Jennifer Pedersen) with him. She was with her daughter today because her daughter had a doctor's appointment. His next race depends on how he acclimates himself down there. He didn't really exert himself today. We'll probably point him to the Fountain of Youth [Grade 2, $300,000, 3yo, nine furlongs, Saturday, March 4, Gulfstream Park]. I've got the other horse (Scanlon's Song) for the Wood Memorial [Grade 1, $750,000, 3yo, nine furlongs, Saturday, April 8, Aqueduct]. I've already got the Wood marked in the win column."
Dominguez felt very comfortable with his new mount. He said, "Once again, he went pretty quick fractions. He's just very deceiving. He just covers a lot of ground with ease. I got to the three-eighths pole, and I even got a little concerned because he was so relaxed. I wasn't sure if he was going to fire, but I didn't want to test him that early. As soon as I got to the top of the stretch, I shook him up and got an immediate response. In the stretch, once I knew he wasn't going to get beat, I put my hands down and he eased himself up. He's a real smart horse and he's got a great attitude."
