Unusual Suspect scores Cougar II victory
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Jump to Race Entries/Results Unusual Suspect outfinished runner-up Richard’s Kid in a spirited battled through the final sixteenth of a mile to win the $150,000 Cougar II Handicap on Wednesday at Del Mar and nail down a spot in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
The Cougar II is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series, and Unusual Suspect punched his ticket to the 1 3/4-mile Breeders’ Cup Marathon on November 7 at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park.
Unusual Suspect certainly lived up to his name in the Cougar II. Sent off at 24.50-to-1 odds, the second longest price in the nine-horse field, Unusual Suspect was unplaced in his previous four starts and had never started in a race longer than 1 1/8 miles. But in the final furlong of the Cougar II, Unusual Suspect was able to find a little extra stamina in reserve to push his nose in front at the finish.
He completed 1 1/2 miles in 2:31.22 on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface. Trainer Barry Abrams said he was convinced Unusual Suspect was talented enough to compete with the cast assembled for the Cougar II with three previous stakes wins on his résumé, including the 2007 Hollywood Turf Express Handicap (G3), but was concerned about the distance.
“He’s a really nice horse. I thought this was a weak field and I believed my horse is good enough to win if he can go a mile and a half. He did it,” said Abrams, who owns Unusual Suspect in partnership with his wife, Dyan, and his brother David.
“Alonso [Quinonez] rode him perfectly. We’ll be looking at the Del Mar Handicap [(G2) on August 30]. This horse has won on grass, dirt, and synthetic and sprinting and now going a mile and a half.”
Unusual Suspect was reserved in eighth by Alonso Quinonez while Ghetto (GB) set a solid pace through a half-mile in :48.42 and six furlongs in 1:13.38. He advanced into contention approaching the stretch, split foes in the lane, and dug in gamely to edge Richard’s Kid in a thrilling finish.
Grade 3 winner Church Service finished 1 1/2 lengths back in third as the 2.10-to-1 favorite. Defending Cougar II winner Zappa pressed the pace and faded to last.
A five-year-old by Unusual Heat, Unusual Suspect improved to eight wins in 38 career starts and boosted his earnings to $729,100. Bred in California by David Abrams, Unusual Suspect is out of the winning Crested Wave mare Penpont (NZ) and is a full brother to Grade 1 winner Golden Doc A.
