Hawthorne Gold Cup the cure for Headache
By Mike Porcaro
Midwest Thoroughbred
When he finished fourth in the Grade I Whitney Handicap on Aug. 6 at Saratoga, 5-year old gelding Headache had nothing but trouble. Despite lunging at the break and altering course, the Tapit offspring finished a game 4th less than eight lengths behind winner Tizway and a nose behind third place finisher and 2011 Hawthorne Gold Cup runner Giant Oak.
The 2011 Grade II, $500,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup proved to be just the cure for Headache. Trained by Mike Maker and owned Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Headache bested a contentious field of ten horses, just beating Where’s Sterling and Cease, the second and third place finishers, in the 1-1/4 miles event.
Cherokee Lord broke quickly and held the lead briefly with Headache and Where’s Sterling holding mid-pack. At the mile pole, jockey Paco Lopez made his move, cruising the rail with Where’s Sterling in tow, with Cease just behind. Kicking it into high gear in the stretch, Headache briefly dueled with Where’s Sterling before prevailing for the victory winning by a head.
Trainer Maker is no stranger to the Hawthorne Gold Cup having won the race in 2004 with longshot Freefourinternet.
Giant Oak, the second favorite to Rule, finished fifth with Rule placing seventh.
|
|
photo credit to Four-Footed Foto
|
|
photo credit to Four-Footed Foto |
Photo credit to Steve Heuertz |
|
Photo credit to Steve Heuertz |
Photo credit to Steve Heuertz |
|
Photo credit to Steve Heuertz |
Photo credit to Steve Heuertz |
|
Photo credit to Steve Heuertz |
Photo credit to Steve Heuertz |
