High Powered won the 3rd race at Belterra Park by nearly seven lengths earlier this afternoon.
We felt going into the race that the only thing that could really cause us a problem is if he got hooked into a speed duel. Marc relayed that concern to Perry before the race and Perry did an excellent job of getting High Powered to settle and let the 7-horse pass him by in the early stages. Perry did say that High Powered was anxious to go on with the other horse, but finally took back and let the other horse go ahead.
High Powered stalked Avante Light down the back stretch and made a big move in the turn. Perry never so much as showed High Powered the stick, yet he forged out to a 5-length lead coming into the stretch. High Powered continued to show a bit of greenness in the lane, but Perry gave him a tap of the stick and quickly corrected him.
Perry told us after the race that he had plenty of horse throughout and that High Powered was really just getting going at the end of the race. He galloped out very strong and the outrider actually had to catch him and pull him up deep in the turn.