Yesterday (October 27, 2011), Rapid Redux made Thoroughbred racing history at Laural Park as he galloped to his 19th straight victory. The five-year-old gelding (by Pleasantly Perfect) joins the likes of Zenyatta and Peppers Pride as the only three Thoroughbreds in North America to have won 19 races in a row.
Owner Robert Cole, Jr. said, “I’m kind of freaked out. It was a little tougher than I was expecting. We got it done and I’m very thankful.”
Jockey J.D. Acosta sent Rapid Redux to the front from the start of the race and won by 2-3/4 lengths. “I didn’t want to make any mistakes. It was really an intense moment. You don’t want to do anything wrong. You want to be part of history,” he said.
Trainer David Wells added, “I was really nervous at the eighth pole, it was scary. When Jamie Ness’s horse [Rich Hero] came at him, I thought he was going to go by him, but I give all the credit to the horse.”
Rapid Redux’s win-streak began on December 2, 2010. This year he has a perfect 17 wins out of 17 runs over a variety of tracks. The record for most wins in a single year is still held by Citation. He won 19 times in 1948, including his triple crown victories.
The next question on everyone’s mind… Will he break the record? “I’d love to break the record and have the Kentucky Horse Park invite him there to retire,” said Wells.
