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WINNING MOMENTS
“聆听”遇强则强
Audible Levels Up
2018 G2 HOLY BULL 圣牛锦标二级赛
2018 G1 FLORIDA DERBY 佛罗里达德比一级赛
Despite only f inishing third in his debut race, up and surged to the lead in the homestretch. Mississippi, Photography by Leslie Martin
Audible has since made remarkable comebacks in in second, was no match for Audible and he was soon taken
subsequent races, achieving four consecutive wins over by Hof burg who rallied to finish second, while Audible
and finishing third at the Kentucky Derby in May 2018, captured the G1 Florida Derby with an impressive three-
thereby establishing himself as one of the best three-year- length win.
olds. With each race, Audible has demonstrated his ability
to adapt and excel in his game. In his last three starts, Audible demonstrated his ability to
cover increased distances. Trainer Todd Pletcher said: “I
Audible has been moving up in the NRTA Top Three-Year- think the most important thing that he showed yesterday
Old Poll since the start of the 2018 racing season. His first (in the Florida Derby) was that the stretch out to a mile and
graded stakes victory was the G2 Holy Bull Stakes earlier an eighth was no issue at all. So, that gives us confidence
this year. Audible showed early speed before settling behind that going a mile and a quarter is also in his range.”
the leaders. On the final turn, he moved to take the lead but
was quickly challenged by grade 1 winner Free Drop Billy Pletcher’s prediction proved to be right on Kentucky Derby
into the stretch. With a sudden burst of speed, Audible day. Audible was joined in the gates by stablemate Justify,
pulled away to register a resounding 5½-length victory and both racing for CHC – this was the first time in its 144-year
earn his berth in the Florida Derby. history that the Kentucky Derby has had the participation
of a Chinese-owned racing club. Unlike Justify, who was
First run in 1952, the G1 Florida Derby offers a USD1 already in the lead early on, Audible maintained his usual off-
million purse and, more importantly, 100 points to the the-pace running style for more than three-quarters of the
winner as part of the Kentucky Derby Championship series. distance. It was only in the final 200m that Audible rallied
Audible drew post 8 in a field of nine at America’s famous and, for a brief moment, was in second place behind Justify,
Gulfstream Park. Breaking from his post, Audible swiftly before being narrowly beaten by Good Magic to finish third.
took up third before dropping back to the last few spots.
Midway along the backstretch, jockey John Velazquez Audible was up for sale at the Fasig-Tipton March sale of
allowed him to regain his momentum before he powered Two-Year-Olds in Training, where he was purchased for
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