Uphold upsets in Unreachable Star Stakes

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Oct. 28, 2020) – He was the third longest shot on the board, but his performance was the best on the track as Uphold and Angel Rodriguez scored the upset in the inaugural running of the $100,000 Unreachable Star Stakes Wednesday, Oct. 28 to close out Indiana Champions Day at Indiana Grand.

As the field of nine left the gate, it looked like a calvary charge for the lead with numerous horses seeking the top spot. Uphold used his inside post two to get good early positioning, which was eventually behind Barefootbootlegger and Alex Canchari. The pair crossed over for the front spot heading down the backstretch of the one and one-sixteenth mile stakes race. Redskiesatnight and Fernando De La Cruz sat to the outside in second with lots of horses still keeping close tabs on the top spot. Uphold looked to be locked in as horses were three and four wide heading into the final turn.

As the field turned for home, it was anybody’s race to win. Redskiesatnight appeared to have a brief lead on the front with Barefootbootlegger still holding strong. Midway through the stretch, Rodriguez found the gap he needed to scoot by along the inside. Once he had cleared, Uphold took off and was a strong finisher, winning the race by one length in a time of 1:45.30. Redskiesatnight finished a neck ahead of Barefootbootlegger for second with Rock Rush and Santo Sanjur closing quickly to finish another nose back in fourth in the five-horse photo.

Uphold lit up the tote board, paying $68.20, $19.00 and $7.40 across the board. Bred by Colette VanMatre, Uphold was claimed out of his last start by Trainer John Haran for Michael Ryan’s Clabar Mor Stable and Haran Thoroughbreds. With a win the night he was claimed, Uphold has won his last two starts. The five-year-old son of Lentenor picked up his sixth career win and his first in stakes action for Haran, who claimed him for $10,000. Uphold now has total earnings just under the $200,000 mark.

“I had been looking for a nice Indiana bred and this horse fit the bill,” said Haran on his choice to claim Uphold. “We need to upgrade in our stable this year because we haven’t had a good year, so I’ve claimed several in the last couple of months. I really liked the way he (Uphold) finished in his last start. He’s a very imposing horse and has a great way about him.”

Haran only had the opportunity to work Uphold once since claiming him Oct. 5. It was Rodriguez’s only time aboard the gelding before the stakes race.

“He worked one time and Angel was aboard and he was legit,” added Haran. “Angel came back and really liked him. I told him if he let him run his race, he’d run his eyeballs out for him, and he did.”

It was a first all around for the new connections of Uphold. The race also marked the first stakes win for Rodriguez, who is a native of Panama. Rodriguez rode at Indiana Grand in 2019. He recently returned to riding and the win aboard Uphold was his first of 2020.

The connections of Unreachable Star were trackside to assist with the trophy presentation to Haran. Earlier on the program they presented a donation to Friends of Ferdinand for racehorse aftercare programs in honor of Unreachable Star. The former superstar gelding was a four-time year-end divisional winner, including Horse of the Year in Indiana, and former all-time leading money earner in the state with career earnings of more than $785,000.

Photos by Coady Photography