Ramblin’ Wreck storms from last to win Sunday’s Spectacular Bid division of the NYSS. NYRA Photo.
By Melissa Bauer-Herzog
The Ron Bowden-bred Ramblin’ Wreck made a huge last-to-first run through the stretch to secure his first stakes victory in Sunday’s $150,000 Spectacular Bid division of the New York Stallion Series at Belmont Park.
Making his first start of the year in the 7-furlong turf race, the stakes-placed Redesdale gelding ran into trouble at the break and quickly dropped to a few lengths behind the rest of the field. Irad Ortiz Jr moved him closer to the tightly packed bunch as Ten Cent Town set a contested pace with a :22.91 first quarter-mile and :46.39 half alongside Itsallcomintogetha.
Ramblin’ Wreck started to make a move around the turn as even-money favorite Twenty Six Black made his run for the lead. Ramblin’ Wreck still trailed Twenty Six Black by more than 5 lengths into the lane but the race was from over. Twenty Six Black worked hard to wear down Itsallcomintotogetha and had just gotten past him in the final furlong when Ramblin’ Wreck flew up the outside to mount his own challenge.
The favorite didn’t pose many problems for the Ramblin’ Wreck, who easily passed him to win by a length in 1:21.21. Twenty Six Black came home a clear second with Itsallcomintogetha holding on to third.
The Spectacular Bid was the second victory in six starts for Ramblin’ Wreck, who took his earnings to $240,710 with the win. Campaigned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Patty and Peter Searles, Ramblin’ Wreck was purchased by his racing owners from The New Hill Farm for $140,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.
“I’ve won this race twice now,” trainer Danny Gargan said. “His [half] brother [Dakota Gold] won it last year. I love Dakota and he’s a great horse, but this [gelding] is probably as talented; maybe more. Dakota plays around a little bit in his races and this colt really focuses a lot. I’m lucky to have him and that Dean [Reeves] has entrusted me to train both of them. They’re both nice horses.”
Ramblin’ Wreck is the first stakes winner for McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds’ Redesdale, who has two stakes performers from 19 runners hailing from his first crop. His multiple stakes placed daughter Midtown Lights also ran on Sunday’s card in the Cupecoy’s Joy division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes.
Ramblin’ Wreck is one of two stakes winners from three named foals out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Dakota Kid. That mare also produced the multiple stakes winning New York-bred Dakota Gold, who won this race last year. She is also the dam of that one’s stakes-placed full sister, Dakota Dancer.
A winner herself, Dakota Kid is also a half-sister to Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Dakota Phone and stakes placed Black Hills Goldie.
Dakota Kid is the dam of a New York-bred Mucho Macho Man 2-year-old colt named Dakota Country and foaled a New York-bred colt by Caravaggio February 26.
