Dakota Gold wins the inaugural Hudson Valley at Belmont Park for his fourth career stakes wins. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.
By Paul Halloran
In his last start, 8 1/2 furlongs wasn’t enough for Dakota Gold, who found himself last after a half-mile and came up a half-length short despite closing fast, finishing third to the classy City Man in the Kingston Stakes for New York-breds. On Monday at Belmont Park, a mile on the Widener turf was just right as the son of Freud got a perfect trip and rolled down the stretch to a 3-length victory in a very swift 1:32.28.
The race looked like it would set up for a closer and that’s how it played out, with the horses who were first and second at the halfway point (Call Me Harry and Ruse) finishing sixth and fifth, respectively.
Dakota Gold, meanwhile, made a gradual progression under Irad Ortiz Jr., from fifth after a half-mile to fourth after 6 furlongs, before unleashing a five-wide rally and taking the lead by the stretch call. It was as easy as it looked for the odds-on favorite, who closed into :22.67, :45.67 and 1:09.09 fractions.
“I wanted to be closer than last time,” Ortiz said. “I had too much to do and I had to wait too long. I was pretty confident today. I was hoping he was going to give me what he had and he did.”
Somelikeithotbrown, the lone millionaire in the field, figured to get back to his pace-pressing ways, especially with the addition of cheater-cup blinkers. Instead, the Mike Maker trainee broke last and stayed there until closing in the last 2 furlongs and nailing Jerry the Nipper for second on the wire.
During the gallop out, Cold Hard Cash, who finished last while making his first start of the year for owner Barry Schwartz and trainer Linda Rice, suffered an apparent cardiac event and collapsed and died. Jockey Jose Lezcano was uninjured.
“I was a little frustrated the last time he ran, but today he sat a better trip and it worked out well,” said Danny Gargan, trainer of Dakota Gold. “Irad knows him as well as anyone. This is his third stakes win on him. He’s a quirky type of horse – some of that trouble, he causes. He has a little play around in his game, but he’s growing out of it. We’re really happy with him. (Owner) Dean (Reeves) is a big supporter of the New York program and it’s paid off with him to be patient with this colt.”
Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Ron Bowden and foaled at The New Hill Farm in Hoosick Falls, Dakota Gold was the second of four foals out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Dakota Kid, a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Dakota Phone and five-time winner Black Hills Goldie. Dakota Dancer, a full brother to Dakota Gold foaled in 2018, won twice in 15 starts. Ramblin’ Wreck, a 3-year-old son of by Redesdale, won a division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes in June. A 2-year-old by Mucho Macho Man has not yet raced. Each of Dakota Gold’s first five dams are stakes producers.
Reeves paid $83,000 for Dakota Gold as a weanling at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga October mixed sale. After easily winning his first two starts, he was thrown into the deep end with a start in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, running a respectable fifth while losing to European superstar Modern Games by only 2 1/4 lengths.
Gargan ran him five times last year, resulting in two wins and a second in restricted stakes and a third by a neck in the open-company Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park. His 2023 campaign began with a good fourth in the Canadian Turf at Gulfstream, before the close call in the Kingston.
“Mentally, he’s growing a little more,” Ortiz said. “He’s much better than last year. Last year, he would get to looking around and not knowing what he was doing. Today, he showed that he’s grown up a little bit and he’s all business right now. He’s much more straightforward.”
Monday’s win improved Dakota Gold’s career earnings to $680,950.
