Financial Top, under jockey Luis Vivanco, winning the $15,000 King William Handicap on Monday night at Retama Park.

© Coady Photography

SAN ANTONIO, TX—SEPTEMBER 3, 2018—Financial Top and Luis Vivanco capitalized on a clean trip $15,000 King William Handicap on Monday night at Retama, scoring a gate-to-wire win by a length and a half in the 350-yard event.

While the trip was free of traffic, track conditions were sloppy at Retama. The two races prior to the King William were canceled due to weather.

Financial Top ($5.60) is a 4-year-old son of Heza Fast Dash who has now won three consecutive races at three different tracks. He won his previous starts, an allowance race at Delta and an allowance at Evangeline, before shipping to Retama for the first time. He has won four of his ten lifetime efforts and has earned $29,295. This was his first stakes start.

The winning connections of Financial Top accept the King William Handicap stakes trophy at Retama Park.
© Coady Photography

Adrian Huitron trains the gelding for owners Karla Diaz and Gerardo Prado. Financial Top was bred in Arizona by H & E Ranch, out of stakes-placed Financial Leverage, by Mr Jess Perry.

One Sweet Merlot and Jose Montoya chased from second place thoroughout the race for trainer Jimmy Padgett and owners David Jones and Mark Cowan. One Sweet Merlot was bred in Oklahoma by Vessels Stallion Farm, out of Onemoreglassofwine, by Heza Fast Dash.

The One Sweet Jess gelding made his tenth lifetime start in the King William and his fourth start in a stakes race. He has won four of his ten career efforts but has never finished worse than second in five starts at Retama.

One Sweet Merlot had previously won the Adequan Retama Park Derby Challenge in 2017 and the John Deere Retama Park Juvenile Challenge in 2016.

Ivory Noche and Nestor Duran completed the field from the rail after a bobbled start. Ivory Noche is trained by Leon Bard for owners K and W Land and Cattle Company, who also bred the 3-year-old gelding in Texas. He is sired by Ivory James and is out of the Tres Seis mare Tres Dia Noche.

No times were made available for the race at the time the chart was released. The remainder of the Retama card, including the San Marcos Handicap, was canceled due to severe weather.

Completing the field were Dash Quick Perry, Dash Don’t Cheat and Audacious Fire. Nexxus was scratched.