By DRF.com
OZONE PARK, N.Y. (Nov. 8, 2020) — Pickin’ Time came into Sunday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct as the only stakes winner in a field of seven. He exited the race the same way, scoring a convincing 2 1/4-length victory over favored Ten for Ten in the one-mile race for 2-year-olds.
Kept within three lengths of an early contested pace by Trevor McCarthy, Pickin’ Time split horses entering the turn, crept up three wide to the leaders Ten for Ten and Isolate approaching the stretch, then drew away in the final furlong.
Ten for Ten, the 6-5 favorite off an eight-length maiden win on Oct. 16, set the pace before tiring to second, 10 1/4 lengths clear of Isolate. Nova Rags finished fourth followed by Civil War, Irish Honor, and Spectatorless.
The victory was the third from five starts for Pickin’ Time, a New Jersey-bred son of California stallion Stay Thirsty owned and bred by John Bowers and trained by Kelly Breen. He was coming off a nose victory in the Smoke Glacken Stakes, going six furlongs at Monmouth Park on Sept. 27.
“We thought he could go long; I think this stamps him as at least a miler,” Breen said.
Though Breen had spoken to jockey Trevor McCarthy earlier in the day to give instructions, he said he called his assistant John Attfield to make sure he told McCarthy not to be too far out of it early.
McCarthy did get Pickin’ Time out of the gate well and was within three lengths of the lead established by Ten for Ten, who went an opening quarter in 22.86 seconds and a half-mile in 46.10 with Isolate to his outside. Spectatorless had been part of the pace early, but dropped back before the far turn.
Pickin’ Time, who now had Nova Rags to his inside, moved three wide around the turn outside of Ten for Ten and Isolate.
Pickin’ Time moved into second in upper stretch – as Isolate was snatched up by Cristian Torres – and cruised by Ten for Ten inside the final furlong.
Pickin’ Time covered the mile in 1:39.89 and returned $21 to win.
“We wanted make sure he broke well and had a comfortable spot, which he did,” McCarthy said. “Down the backside I was very comfortable where I was, I wasn’t getting too much kickback, that seems to be a pretty good key this weekend. I was able to get outside getting to the turn, let him get in his mojo. After that, he accelerated strong for me and gave me a great effort down the lane.”
Jockey Eric Cancel said Ten for Ten seemed content being on the lead despite the early fast fractions.
“He seemed to be doing it easy,” Cancel said. “As soon as we got to the quarter pole, the other horse got to him pretty quick and he just went by. My horse never gave up, he kept on trying, the other one just flew by him.”
Kathy Ritvo, the trainer of third-place finisher Isolate, said her horse raced greenly, didn’t switch leads and lost his right front shoe.
Breen said Pickin’ Time will get the opportunity to stretch out to 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 2, $150,000 Remsen Stakes here Dec. 5.
“He deserves a try,” Breen said. “When he first came in, he was one of our biggest 2-year-olds. We thought boy he’s going to really like the distance. I said that to Trevor, ‘he’s big, he’s strong, he should like the distance and maybe more distance.’ ”