Sunday, November 20, 2011

Essence Hit Man wins with speed and stamina in Kennedy Road

TORONTO, November 19 – Audre and Gordon Cappuccitti's Essence Hit Man sped gate-to-wire to capture Saturday's Grade 3 $174,000 Kennedy Road Stakes, at Woodbine.

The four-year-old son of Speightstown-El Prado Essence, who routinely fires off an opening quarter in under 22 seconds, set a relatively reserved first fraction and had plenty in reserve when needed in the stretch to win his fifth career added-money score.


Essence Hit Man, under jockey Jesse Campbell, sprinted from the gate and set an opening quarter in :22.50 with Hollywood Hit stalking from just off the rail. Essence Hit Man would lead the six-horse field through the far turn, making a half in :44.57, as Hollywood Hit and Gypsy Ring picked up the bit. Gypsy Ring loomed large as Essence Hit Man turned for home, but when Campbell asked, Essence Hit Man found another gear and kicked on to win by a length and a quarter. Gypsy Ring maintained his rally for place, three lengths clear of Signature Red. Essence Hit Man stopped the clock in 1:08.75.

Conditioner Audre Cappuccitti believes an equipment change following his last outing, a second-place effort on October 30, was significant in controlling her charge's abundant early speed.

"I had Jesse come back and breeze him after the last race, and I changed the equipment, and said, 'let's see if this will help'," said Cappuccitti. "He (Campbell) came back and said it really worked. He had a tiny bit more control. It's not that he's (Essence Hit Man) tough, he just wants to go and if you try to strangle him, it just doesn't work."

Campbell noted that the change of bit, and the reserved early fraction, made all the difference in the latter stages of the race.

"He really let me ride him today and at the end of the race it was a real big difference," said Campbell. "When I hit the middle of the backside, I knew this was really setting up good for me. When he heard those horses coming going into the half, he just smoothed out and picked up a little bit. I knew I had a ton of horse at the five-sixteenths pole. I thought about really asking him to run, before I ended up asking him, to try and just open up, but I saved him for another sixteenth of a mile and he really responded when I asked him."

With the victory, Essence Hit Man improves his record to seven wins, three seconds and three thirds from 17 lifetime starts and boosts his bankroll to $742,261.

He paid $17.70, $7.90 and $5.10, combining with Gypsy Ring ($4.30, $3.10) for a $66.50 exactor. Signature Red ($4.90) completed a $385 triactor.