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By Jackie Burke Special to the Rappahannock News
NEW KENT COUNTY - In a word — make that a name — Showing Up is the first and most necessary step to success. The Barclay Tagg-trained Showing Up, winner of tiie Colonial Turf Cup, proved it Saturday.
Saturday at Colonial Downs, Showing Up shattered the eight-year-old course mark for a mile and 3/16ths, winning the $1 million Colonial Turf Cup in 1:52.98, nearly four lengths ahead of the Richard Dutrow-trained Kip Deville.
Kip Deville gave Tagg some anxious moments, sprinting out of the 14 slot and opening up a big lead. Kip Deville folded to Showing Up’s challenge, though, faltering in the final furlong to finish just ahead of the Bill Motttrained Go Between.
Tagg said, “I would have preferred my horse to lay three or four back, but that wouldn’t have worked in this case. That’s the way races get stolen by front-runners.”
Rider Comelio Velasquez kept the winner, bred by Virginia’s Nellie Cox, just ahead of 12 well-bunched other starters. All of them were nearly a furlong behind Kip Deville, who looked like a runaway train heading up the long grassy stretch the first time.
Jockey Quincy Hamilton tried to give the field the slip, attempting to “steal” the race with a gigantic lead, 15 on the backside, and complacent competitors. Velasquez was not fooled, though, and timed his run with Showing Up to nip Kip Deville inside the eighth pole for the big score.
The Turf Cup is first of two $1 million races at Colonial’s turf festival meet. The second, the Virginia Derby on July 15, joins the Tbif Cup and Breeder’s Cup turf in the fall to form the Grand Slam of Turf Racing. A winner of all three races takes a $5 million bonus, making this the richest bonus opportunity not just in horse racing, but in all sports.
When asked if he planned to be back for the second $1 million at Colonial, jubilant Tagg turned serious. “I don’t
See VICTORY, Page A8
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