BRUCEONTHELOOSE Sprint grade-one winner, Florida invader OF A REVOLUTION, should avenge his shocking grade-two Miracle Man Cup loss to fellow American GIRVANO when they lock horns in Saturday’s Eileen Cliggott Memorial at six and a half furlongs.
After landing the Bruceontheloose by two lengths on his local debut, turning back DESERT OF MALIBU to clock 1:19.2 at six and a half furlongs, OF A REVOLUTION flopped in mud on New Year’s Day, failing to show the speed which he had used to run the best sprinters into the ground on Mouttet Mile Day.
Unlike the Bruceontheloose in which he had swatted DESERT OF MALIBU off the lead and repelled his fellow American in splits of 46.2, 58.3, and 1:12.2, costing her second-place, overhauled by MONEY MARKET close home, Raddesh Roman held OF A REVOLUTION behind a wall of horses sandblasting him down the backstretch.
Switched outside leaving the three-furlong marker, OF A REVOLUTION, freed of the stinging sand being sprayed at him, made a wide, sweeping move, which took the seven-year-old into contention for a charge at GIRVANO, who had inherited the lead from stablemate MAMMA MIA.
OF A REVOLUTION bravely pulled within a half-length of GIRVANO a half-furlong out, but the Jamaica Cup runner-up found an extra gear to pull away from his winded challenger, who had to overcome a four-length deficit after running four-wide on the home turn.
GIRVANO, who carried 122lb when stunning OF A REVOLUTION, joins his compatriot at the top of the scale, sharing 126lb in the seven-horse field with the distance reduced by a furlong.
Roman must be gunning to make amends for what was certainly questionable handling aboard OF A REVOLUTION in the MIracle Man. With only PACK PLAYS to contend with on the lead, the math shouldn’t be too difficult for the champion jock to figure.
