SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Oct. 9, 2019) – Baratti loves to compete and he got a big challenge in the final strides of the $30,000 Don K Memorial Starter Handicap Wednesday, Oct. 9 at Indiana Grand. Four horses were neck in neck across the track as Baratti and DeShawn Parker squeezed through for the win in the 10th round of the event named after former Indiana HBPA executive director Don Kebovchik.
Starting from post one in the 10-horse field for the seven and one-half furlong event on the turf, Baratti used a little early speed only to gain positioning along the inside. Bizerk and Fernando De La Cruz rallied from the outside for an early call and was joined by Sharm El Sheikh and Sonny Leon on the front. The tightly bunched field made their way around the final turn and Bizerk was still holding his own along with Artie’s Rumor and Marcelino Pedroza Jr. who moved up to challenge along with Gladtobehere and Sammy Bermudez, who stayed close throughout.
In the stretch, it came down to a four-horse race with Baratti sitting on the heels of Gladtobehere. He found just enough room to move through and battle for the win, getting the edge by a head in a time of 1:28.03. Artie’s Rumor finished second over Bizerk for third.
Owned by Hooties Racing LLC, WSS Consulting LLC and Brent Gasaway, it was the ninth career win for Baratti and his third in four starts over Indiana Grand’s turf course. The eight-year-old son of Medaglia d’Oro now has in excess of $250,000 during his career. John Ortiz claimed the horse from Churchill Downs last summer and has now had three wins with him since the claim. All three wins have been with Parker aboard.
“I don’t know what it is about this horse, but he runs for me,” said Parker. “I just let him do his thing. When he wants to run, he runs. I just showed him a little hole today and he went for it. I think he likes to be in tight and likes the challenge because he always gets tough at the end of a race like that.”
The Don K Memorial Starter Series has one final leg scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 23 at a distance of one and one-eighth miles. The series is held over several distances and surfaces throughout the season.
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