Duty Calls started fast and never looked back to win Sunday’s $50,000 Patrick Wood Stakes at Pinnacle Race Course.
The two-year-old Service Stripe gelding broke in second, but quickly made his way to the front, a length ahead of Noequal. The pair opened up a length and a half across the backstretch ahead of post time favorite Native Niko in third. Duty Calls began to separate from Noequal heading into the turn, who was joined on the outside by a gaining Native Niko. A length separated Duty Calls and Noequal as the field entered the bend. Five lengths back, Call Me Quincy led the rest of the pack in fourth.
Duty Calls exited the turn 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Noequal and Native Niko, who had drawn to even terms behind him. The leader continued to draw clear from his rivals down the stretch and finished 4 3/4 lengths ahead of Native Niko. Noequal could not keep pace with the runner-up, but still held on for third.
Duty Calls completed the six furlong race in 1:13.68 over a fast dirt surface with Jeffrey Skerrett in the saddle. He was the third choice in the Patrick Wood at odds of 2.80-to-one.
Homebred in Michigan by Mast Thoroughbreds LLC, Duty Calls was saddled by trainer Robert Gorham. The Patrick Wood was Duty Calls’ second win in as many starts for career earnings of $36,100.
For an Equibase chart of the race, click here.
3 – Duty Calls (Jeffrey Skerrett) 7.60 / 4.00 / 2.40
4 – Native Niko (Octavio Bernal) 2.80 / 2.20
2 – Noequal (Federico Mata) 2.80
Six Furlongs
Time: 1:13.68
WXYZ (Detroit) Monday evening 7 oclock news. Pinnacle pays a large waterbill. Why would that even make the news? Maybe the KGB from the MGCB passed it on and the casino people thought it would help portray Pinnacle in a bad light.