Bob Hill
Staff writer

It’s not often that much is reported about $25,000 claiming races, but when a horse wins twice within a span of 68 hours a story is made.  El Real Madrid, a five-year-old son of Boundary, actually raced three times within eight days, finishing second in the first race of the trio on the grass down at Monmouth Park on Aug. 18.  That race, contested at a mile and 70 yards, was a $22,000 claiming contest.  Trainer Rick Dutrow then shipped him up to Saratoga where the fun began.

On Monday, Aug. 23 El Real Madrid was entered in a $20k claiming race on the main track at nine furlongs.  The track was a sealed and rated sloppy.  He stalked a reasonable pace that day behind two pacesetters and took the lead at the top of the stretch before drawing off to an 8¾-length win.  The Racing Form sold on Wednesday of that week referenced the Aug. 18 race but not the one run on Monday.  That sent us scrambling to make sure that his entry was accurate.  It was hard to handicap him off our Pick 4 ticket, but we did play against him in the in-race exotic bets. 

When the latch was sprung on the starting gate it was clear what the intentions of the connections were on this day as El Real Madrid stepped up in class to a $25k claiming affair, again at nine furlongs.  He bolted to the lead, engaged 3-2 favorite Chris Got Even in what amounted to a match race and drew off from that one in midstretch before winning by 3½ lengths.  Two wins in less than 68 hours.

On more than once occasion I’ve scratched my head about the training mystique of Richard Dutrow.  I’m not alone among a group of handicappers who have wondered if his wins are vet-assisted.  A feat like this one rekindles those questions, but putting that issue aside I must admit it was real fun and exciting to watch Ell Real Madrid do his thing.

I do suggest you put him on your barn list just so you can check how he does next out.  He will be racing in that race for William Cesare who claimed him on Wednesday.  Had that not happened, we might have expected to see him again next week.