Rapid Redux digs deep for 22nd straight; will continue to race
From ntra.com: New year, same old result for record-setting Rapid Redux, who dashed to his 22nd consecutive victory in the sixth race on Wednesday at Laurel Park.
Making the lead less than a furlong into the $5,000 starter-allowance race, heavily favored Rapid Redux was hounded by Awesome Rhythm, the 5-2 second-choice, through splits of 24.14 seconds for his opening quarter-mile, 47.57 for the first half, and six furlongs in 1:12.10. And while Rapid Redux could not land a knockout blow, he held his pursuer at bay to score by three-quarters of a length, going the one-turn mile in 1:38.24. Rapid Redux, ridden by J.D. Acosta, paid $2.80 to win.
Rapid Redux’s participation in Wednesday’s race came into question after trainer David Wells revealed Tuesday that Rapid Redux had grabbed a quarter several days before, opening a cut on his right front foot. The injury was deemed well enough healed Wednesday morning for Rapid Redux to be shipped from Wells’s base at Penn National to Laurel, but Wells feared that missed training time might catch up to Rapid Redux during the long stretch run. Laurel’s main track has two finish lines, with one-turn miles ending at the second one.
"The 47-second half made me really nervous," Wells said. "We had to really back off him the last three or four days, just jogging and whatever, and that’s why I was worried about the second wire."
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