Godolphin Stable’s Tam Lin (GB) shook clear of Forefathers half-way through Sunday afternoon’s 28th running of the Grade 2, $250,000 Kelso Handicap, and then flagged his tail at the field as he sped home to a 4 ¼-length victory in the mile race on the Widener Turf Course.
The win capped a strong Godolphin showing at Belmont Park this weekend. Saturday, Godolphin won the Grade 1 Beldame when Cocoa Beach (CHI) upset favored Ginger Punch.
Second in the Grade 3 Poker to Kip Deville here on July 13, Tam Lin disappointed as the favorite when he finished ninth in the Grade 2, seven-furlong Play King at Woodbine on August 23.
Sunday, however, proved to be much different. Reunited with jockey Javier Castellano, who rode him to a nose victory in the Scottish Monk here in June, Tam Lin was second to Forefathers, who came up the rail, which was out nine feet, to get the lead and set the pace of 23.81, 47.85 and 1:14.06 over the soft going.
Then, just as suddenly, the 5-year-old Selkirk gelding responded with a big run and was the comfortable winner in 1:39.13. Favored Stalingrad was second and Operation Red Dawn was third.
“This horse isn’t easy to ride, but I get along with him,” said Castellano, as Tam Lin returned $6.90 to win. “Today, he was very relaxed and comfortable. And in the post parade, he was so kind. I think Rick Mettee did a great job with this horse. The key to the race today was that he was so relaxed. We expected to be four or five lengths behind the lead, but when we were right behind the leaders, I didn’t want fight with him. Just let him enjoy the trip. I guess he really liked the course today.”
A winner of six of 16 starts, Tam Lin’s future plans are undecided.
“He’s a tough horse to ride because he runs with his head up and pulls hard,” Mettee said. “Saeed and I did not discuss what is next for him. Obviously, a two-turn race at Santa Anita with a full field would be completely different and I don’t know if that would really suit him.”
Forefathers was fourth, followed by Giant Wrecker and Media Play.
Two other turf races scheduled for Sunday – the Grade 2, $150,000-added Pilgrim for two-year-olds and the Grade 2, $150,000-added Miss Grillo for juvenile fillies, both at a mile and a sixteenth on the turf – will be run on Wednesday, October 1.
KELSO HANDICAP QUOTES
Rick Mettee, assistant to winning trainer Saeed bin Suroor of Tam Lin (GB) (No. 3): “He really likes it here at Belmont Park. He really doesn’t corner that well. We thought the one-turn, seven-eighths up there (Grade 2 Play King at Woodbine, August 23, finished ninth as the favorite) would be good for him, but he never settled. He’s a tough horse to ride because he runs with his head up and pulls hard. Saeed and I did not discuss what is next for him. Obviously, a two-turn race at Santa Anita with a full field would be completely different and I don’t know if that would really suit him.”
Winning jockey Javier Castellano: “This horse isn’t easy to ride, but I get along with him. Today, he was very relaxed and comfortable. And in the post parade, he was so kind. I think Rick Mettee did a great job with this horse. The key to the race today was that he was so relaxed. We expected to be four or five lengths behind the lead, but when we were right behind the leaders, I didn’t want fight with him. Just let him enjoy the trip. I guess he really liked the course today.”
