WinStar Farm’s General Election, a 3-year-old son of Harlan’s Holiday, got up in the final strides to win the $110,400 Jefferson Cup (G3) by a neck Saturday night at Churchill Downs (VIDEO).
The Jefferson Cup, a one-mile race for 3-year-olds on turf, went postward with a field of seven. General Election was last after a quarter mile, moved up around the final turn, then rallied from fifth at the head of the stretch to cover the distance over firm turf in 1:35.96.
“I thought they were going fast enough to set up his run,” winning trainer Kellyn Gorder said. “I thought the one-horse (Redwood Kitten) was the horse to beat. I was little nervous because he was sitting off the pace – he didn’t go to the lead. I was a little worried that he would get stuck in traffic, but he got through.”
The victory was the third in eight starts in 2013 for General Election, who now has a career record of 4-2-0 in 10 races. The $67,079 winner’s share of the purse boosted his career earnings to $285,189. His previous stakes wins came in the Arlington Classic (G3) and the John Battaglia Memorial S. at Turfway.
Gorder didn’t have any set plans for General Election’s next start; WinStar has entered him in the November Sale at Keeneland.
Harlan’s Holiday has 15 stakes winners thus far in 2013, who have accounted for 22 stakes wins, which is third-best among all North American sires.
