GOLDEN KEY UNLOCKS COIN COLLECTOR WIN
Frank Vespe- May 9, 2021
Golden Key has shown plenty of promise in his young career, and Saturday evening the three-year-old Uncle Lino gelding made good on that, taking the $75,000 Coin Collector Stakes for West Virginia-bred sophomores at Charles Town Races.
It was the first stakes win and third win overall, from five starts, for Golden Key. He has earned $96,046.
- Road to Kentucky Derby, Oaks to go through New KentThe road to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks will make stops in New Kent in 2025, when the Virginia Derby and Oaks become points races.
Under jockey Luis Batista, Golden Key was away alertly to grab a two-length lead through an opening quarter-mile in a sharp 21.92 seconds over a main track rated good. That lead grew to 3 1/2 lengths with just a furlong left, but things got a little bit hairy late.
Post-time favorite Social Chic made a spirited run up the outside, while Spurn, who’d seemed done leaving the furlong grounds, found more to bid along the rail. In the end, Golden Key had just enough to hold on by a neck over Social Chic, with Spurn another half-length farther back.
Running time for the 4 1/2 furlongs was 52.36 seconds.
Golden Key paid $6.40 to win as the second choice in the field of nine, and the exacta, with the favorite underneath, returned $11.80 for one dollar.
Golden Key was bred in West Virginia by Ronney Brown and Francis Daniel, III. He is out of the stakes-placed Malibu Moon mare Golden Debutante. Brown owns and trains him.
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