Double Tuff a double stakes winner

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Oct. 7, 2020) – Double Tuff is now a double stakes winner at Indiana Grand this season. After a 10-month layoff following his last race of 2019 and scoring the stakes victory in the William Henry Harrison Stakes in early September, the grey gelding was right back at it to score again in the 24th running of the $75,000 Brickyard Stakes at Indiana Grand.

Starting from post four, Double Tuff and Jesus Castanon were content to sit in second early on as Jova and Fernando De La Cruz set the tempo of the six-furlong stakes. Wholelotachocolate and Sammy Bermudez sat to their outside to keep the pressure on. Castanon began to move up on the leaders in the only turn of the race, and by the time the stretch had arrived, he was the sole horse on the lead.

Double Tuff opened up on the field and was an eventual winner by four and one-half lengths at the finish line. Jova held gamely for second while Wholelotachocolate finished just a neck back in third.

“Coming out of the gate, we took advantage of a good break,” said Castanon, who won the 2011 Preakness aboard Shackleford. “I asked him, and he grabbed onto me and was on his way. He’s very fun to ride. I let him be comfortable and when it was time to go, he was ready. He has everything and he’s the type of horse a jockey wants in a horse. You could not ask for better.”

Claimed by Jerry Carden and David Neiman’s Willowbrook Stables for $25,000 last fall, Double Tuff is now two for two for his new connections and has earned in excess of $91,000 since being claimed. Kim Hammond, Indiana Grand’s leading trainer in 2020, trains the grey son of Skylord, who now has eight career wins in 26 career starts with career earnings just under the $400,000 mark.

“Double Tuff ran big today,” said Hammond. “We hadn’t started him since Sept. 2 (William Henry Harrison). He obviously likes to have time in between races. We’ll see how he comes out of this race to decide his next start.”

Photos by Coady Photography