Danie Toerien
For trainer Robyn Klaasen, having a runner in the Hollywoodbets Durban July is a dream come true.
“At the beginning of the season, a July runner was the last thing I thought would happen,” said Klaasen, who will be saddling five-year-old Gimmethegreenlight gelding Second Base.
“I only started training in November 2021, so this is just my second season as trainer.”
Second Base showed tremendous talent as a three-year-old, winning five of his first six starts, but in his subsequent 26 races only found the winner’s enclosure two more times.
Despite sitting rock bottom in the betting at 90-1 offered by World Sports Betting, his run in the Premier’s Champions Challenge where he finished just a nose behind Puerto Manzano, suddenly thrust him in the spotlight again.
“We were very lucky that the previous owners of Second Base decided to sell him on the online sale,” said Klaasen.
“We took a chance on him. His first run for my stable was unbelievable in the Premier’s Champions Challenge. He was actually very unlucky not to win that race. But that’s how he got into the July.
“He has really just taken us on a ride and we are going with the flow. The horse is very happy. I think he was a little bit sour in his previous stable. A change of environment, I think, was all he needed. And that showed in his performance in the Champions Challenge.
“I think he’s improved since that run and I think he’s now probably back to his best like when he was a three-year-old.”
Second Base was rated as high as 122 when contesting the Daily News 2000 as a three-year-old, but by the time he ran in last year’s July, his rating was down to 118. A year later, without success, his rating had dropped to 104. But that was before moving to Klaasen’s yard and his surprise run in the Champions Challenge.
According to Klaasen, she is quite happy that Second Base will be jumping from gate 13 in the July.
“We’ve been going through all the previous Julys and the majority of winners seem to come from outside draws. 13 is good for us. Lucky for some, unlucky for others.
“For him specifically I’m happy with the draw because he has in the past had a tendency to miss the break. That didn’t happen in the Champions Challenge. We took the earmuffs off and we suspect that helped.”
Klaasen added that the danger of an inside draw is that, should a horse miss the break, he could just be swallowed up by the field.
“I’d rather be stuck outside at the back than on the rail, because then you have nowhere to go.”
As far as her expectations are concerned, Klaasen is philosophically optimistic.
“I’m expecting a very good run from him. I can’t say I’m expecting him to win, but in my eyes, he is in with a chance. In the Champions Challenge he beat Billy Bowlegs and Rain In Holland, and he is better off at the weights now with Puerto Manzano, so on paper, if any of those horses have a chance, so does he.
“He’s a completely different horse than when he arrived here. He is so happy, he’s in a good space, he’s fit. Obviously, he hasn’t had a prep run going into the July, but that was done on purpose. Being a sour horse, I didn’t want to overrace him and I felt that he is fit enough. Fitness is the last thing I’m worried about.”
Chase Maujean, who rode Second Base to his first win on debut and his first Group 3 win, is back in the saddle after their heroic effort in the Champions Challenge.
“I’m very happy with Chase riding him. Chase gets along with this horse very well.”
The jockey-horse combination have an impeccable record, never finishing outside the top four in six outings together.
“That was the reason we chose Chase for the Champions Challenge.
“I’m leaving the running of the race to Chase. The only instruction is to make sure he gets out and to be up there with the speed. But now it’s all up to him. He must take it as it comes.
“There’s a lot of pressure, but pressure is a privilege.
“I believe we are going to see the best of this horse now.”