Willie Pike farewelled Belmont’s Saturday season with a riding masterclass aboard the final five winners yesterday.
Pike caused an upset when I Love Ya Money claimed the $100,000 Westspeed Platinum Spring Final (1600m) at the expense of odds-on stablemate Bosun. And he signed off with a predictable victory on second-favourite Streak Of God in the ‘lucky last’.
I Love Ya Money is a son of Yarradale Stud sire Gingerbread Man and received the run of the race from a wide gate in the feature race of the day. He settled one-out and one-back behind the speed before putting the race to bed with a telling turn of foot in the straight.
“Things went my way and even if we sat further back it wouldn’t have mattered,” Pike admitted.
“He jumped smooth and clean and will only get better as he matures. The mile suited and there’s plenty of upside.”
I Love Ya Money was bred and sold by Gold Front Thoroughbreds for $40,000 to Justin Warwick at the 2024 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale. His dam Valentine’s Reward (Reward For Effort) was a $115,000 buy for Gold Front’s Alan and Sue Olive at the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Winning trainer Mitch Pateman admitted to mixed emotions after Bosun (Gingerbread Man) missed the kick and never travelled at the tail of the field.
“I thought Bosun had an edge but I Love Ya Money has been a model of consistency. It was his Grand Final today and he’s been up awhile so I will leave his program up to Justin.”
I Love Ya Money wins with a smile on the dial of his jockey Photo: Western Racepix
Streak Of God continued the Yarradale connection to the ringing endorsement of punters who repeated that ever popular catchphrase after the last race; ‘Back Pike and drink what you like’.
“He’s got an engine and found the line like a good horse but gave me a torrid time pulling in the run,” Pike reported. “He does a lot of little things wrong that add up so when he figures it all out it will be only good things.”
Streak Of God was purchased by First Light Racing for $180,000 from Yarradale at the 2024 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale. He’s by Champion WA Sire Playing God and his dam Streak Away (O’Reilly) is a daughter of Yarradale’s G2 Karrakatta Plate (1200m) winner Brava Fortune (Falbrav).
First Light Racing’s Tim Wilson was delighted to see him complete a running double at Belmont this month. “We could have a really nice horse on our hands. There is still plenty for this boy to learn but the talent is certainly there and that makes the future very exciting!”
Quick Cookie was sent to Mingenew for an easy kill on Saturday and she responded with a front-running victory that put eight lengths between the placegetters.
The Gingerbread Man mare is part-owned and trained by Ryan Hill and she went out a $1.40 favourite on a seven-day turnaround following a close sixth to Let’s Talk at Belmont. She’s the final winner from Fleeting Image (Elusive Quality) who was purchased by Yarradale for $9,000 from Peters Investments at the 2014 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale.
Fleeting Image won a Pinjarra maiden over 2000m and her younger half-sister Perfect Reflection won a G1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m). Her older half-brother Elusive Image won a LR Belmont Classic (2200m) and an older half-sister Risktaker (Orientate) is the second-dam of Roger (All Too Hard) who went two-from-two in the Senturf Plate (1400m) at Belmont yesterday.
