By Jessica Martini
“It's always a big question mark with a first-time starter, but we've always liked this horse,” Centennial Farms' president Don Little, Jr. said shortly after watching Unified (Candy Ride {Arg}) streak to an impressive debut victory at Gulfstream Park Sunday. “He's trained with a lot of class, so we were excited. We were cautiously optimistic.”
Unified gave connections no time to worry once the gates opened, blitzing out to the early lead and going wire-to-wire in a sparkling 1:08.95.
“It was a little surprising,” Little admitted about the final time. “We knew he had some speed, but the way he did it looked pretty effortless for him. I was really impressed with the way he broke–he really shot out of there. I almost missed it, he broke so quick.”
Bidding on behalf of his Centennial partnership, Little went to $325,000 to secure Unified at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale.
“There were only two horses that year at the sale that we liked,” Little recalled Sunday. “We liked his pedigree, but we really liked the way he walked. He looked around like he was really aware of what was happening and with a very keen eye. He had a lot of presence. He had a great walk, great shoulder, very fluid in his walk. And we loved his pedigree; we knew Candy Ride was on the way up. He sort of fit the Centennial mold of a Classic-type horse.”
Unified was training with Jimmy Jerkens at Saratoga in anticipation of a start last fall.
“He was supposed to start last September, but he had a minor setback,” Little revealed. “But even before the setback, Jimmy always said that he looked like he had a ton of ability and could really run.”
As for where Unified will go next, Little said, “We'll see what happens next. I would think he would go in an allowance next time, but where I don't know. It might be tempting to send him back to New York sooner than later because the purses might be a little bit better.”
Little was busy entertaining partners Sunday afternoon, still celebrating their colt's promising debut.
“We are happy to have the people we have involved in this horse,” he said. “We have some clients who have been with us for years and a couple of them who are in this partnership were not in [Centennial's GISW] Wicked [Strong], so we are hoping we can have some success with new people involved.”
Little concluded, “We knew he had some talent he definitely displayed it in his first start and we're thrilled with him and with the effort.”
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