Talented and lightly-raced five-year-old To Fast To Serious further enhanced his reputation as one of the State’s rising stars when he scored a decisive victory over champion three-year-old Lavra Joe in the 2130m Direct Trades Supply Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Ray Williams-trained gelding was second favourite at $3.50, with Lavra Joe dominating the betting and starting favourite at $1.65 despite the disadvantage of the outside barrier in the field of seven.
Aldo Cortopassi sent To Fast To Serious from barrier five to the lead 120m after the start before Chris Lewis urged Lavra Joe forward with a powerful three-wide burst. Cortopassi then surrendered the lead to Lavra Joe who stormed to the front 450m after the start.
After opening quarters of 30.4sec. and 29.6sec. Lavra Joe dashed over the next 400m section in 28.7sec. with To Fast To Serious enjoying the run in the strong colt’s slipstream. Cortopassi eased To Fast To Serious off the pegs with 220m to travel and the gelding sprinted brilliantly to take the lead at the 40m mark before drawing away to beat Lavra Joe by just under a length, rating 1.54.5. Boom Time, who had raced four back on the pegs in the Indian file event, was a distant third.
The victory took To Fast To Serious’s record to 26 starts for 15 wins, four placings and stakes of $174,779.
“I wasn’t concerned when I didn’t lead,” said Cortopassi. “When you are driving good horses you have multiple options, and being a small field, I wasn’t too stressed, knowing that after surrendering the lead to Lavra Joe, that we could sit on him and have the last shot at him.
“I know how fast To Fast To Serious can be when he comes off a soft trip. He has always been like this since he was a two-year-old; he can always sit on speed and sprint home. He’s a Cups horse and will; be dangerous in those big races in the summer, especially when he has a good trip. All he needs is a race to be run upside down and he’ll be sailing home.
“After a winter campaign he will have a break before coming back to get ready for the big Cups.”
by Ken Casellas