The following appeared in bloodhorse.com May 29. Extravagant Kid is owned by Virginia businessman David Ross, who is President of the Virginia Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association (HBPA). Ross claimed the horse for $75,000 in January, 2018. Since then, Extravagant Kid has won $561,925 in purse monies.
The Kiss the Kid gelding outran fellow stakes winners Leinster and Wellabled.
By Byron King
Extravagant Kid didn’t have the Breeders’ Cup experience of some of his rivals in the eighth race May 29 at Churchill Downs, but he had the necessary class and determination.
Closing from midpack under Joel Rosario, the 7-year-old Kiss the Kid gelding outran fellow stakes winners Leinster and Wellabled to win by 1 1/4 lengths in a $68,824 open allowance at five furlongs on turf. It was his 14th victory from 42 starts.
Although the race was not a stakes, it might as well have been. Open allowance races at Churchill Downs this meet have replaced the overnight stakes program.
David Ross’s Extravagant Kid won for the third time in his last four starts. Photo by Coady Photography.
Unable to keep pace with the winner were four horses who raced in the Breeders’ Cup: Leinster (second), Wellabled (third), Bulletin (fifth), and Totally Boss (eighth). Leinster and Totally Boss were making their first starts since finishing unplaced in the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Santa Anita Park; Bulletin won the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs; and Wellabled was 10th in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) at Santa Anita.
None of them could keep up with Extravagant Kid, though Leinster came closest, finishing evenly from a stalking position after securing room in midstretch. Wellabled, whose best efforts have come mostly on synthetic, also ran well after flying to the lead.
Totally Boss was compromised by trouble on the turn that forced him to be checked, and Bulletin was beaten 4 1/4 lengths.
Winning trainer Brendan Walsh said the July 11 Shakertown Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland could be an option for Extravagant Kid. The veteran campaigner is already a six-time stakes winner and earner of $821,210. Of that, $561,925 have come for current owner DARRS, which claimed him for $75,000 at Gulfstream Park In January 2018.
Bred in Florida by Vicino Racing Stable, Extravagant Kid ($15.80) is out of the With Distinction mare Pretty Extravagant. He finished in :57.37 on a firm course.
“He’s such a cool horse,” Walsh said. “Anytime he gets sort of amped up like that in the paddock, he runs a huge race. He’s earned more than $800,000 in his career and has run well on nearly any surface.”
Also Friday at Churchill, graded stakes winners Lexitonian and Hog Creek Hustle matched up in an $85,541 allowance optional claimer on dirt in the seventh race, and Lexitonian ($25.80) defeated the favorite by three-quarters of a length. He completed the seven furlongs on a fast track in 1:22.29 under Tyler Gaffalione.
“He ran a huge race,” the rider said. “When he felt the horses coming up from behind him, he dug in and really finished strong down the lane.”
Lexitonian won the Chick Lang Stakes (G3) last year at 3, and Hog Creek Hustle won the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1).
Jack Sisterson trains Lexitonian, a 4-year-old son of Speightstown, for owner/breeder Calumet Farm.