Call Sign Seven Skims Rail to Upset Seabiscuit at 68-1

Call Sign Seven wins the Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar- Benoit Photo

Seabiscuit is considered one of horse racing's greatest longshot stories, so fittingly the race that bears his name at Del Mar provided a massive upset Nov. 29. With a wall of horses battling in the final sixteenth, it was Call Sign Seven  who sneaked through on the rail to win the $201,500 Seabiscuit Handicap (G2T) at 68-1.

The long odds were justified as Savio-Cannon Thoroughbreds' 4-year-old Speightstown colt was racing for the first time since finishing seventh in allowance company in March. As he returned to racing form, trainer Michael McCarthy entered him in "five or six" second-level allowances that did not fill. The alternative became racing 1 1/16 miles for the first time in the Seabiscuit.

Jockey Ricardo Gonzalez settled toward the back of the eight-horse field in the early stages as favored El Potente  set fractions of :23.27, :47.11, and 1:11.15. As the temporary rail disappeared outside the sixteenth pole, Gonzalez dove to the inside and rallied up past four other rivals to win by a half-length in 1:41.71. 

Astronomer  finished second and El Potente held for third, the top five separated by less than a length.

"I was a little disappointed to see where we were around the turn, we were getting a little bit shuffled back," McCarthy told FanDuel TV's Joaquin Jaime about his early thoughts in the race. "The horse was doing well, fresh. Another great ride by Ricky."

Call Sign Seven paid $139.00 to his backers on a $2 win wager.

Bred in Kentucky by Willow Oaks Stable, Call Sign Seven was a $315,000 purchase by his owners out of the Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services consignment at the 2022 edition of The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale. He has now won half of his six career starts and has improved his earnings to $190,500.

Call Sign Seven is the 150th black type stakes winner for his late sire, Speightstown, and is out of the winning Awesome Again mare Awesome Marchesa 

Article originally published on www.bloodhorse.com.

Original article link: https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/288870/call-sign-seven-skims-rail-to-upset-seabiscuit-at-68-1