One day after Calumet Farm landed the GIII Bewitch S. on Keeneland's closing day with Quiet Business (Quiet Business), the farm enjoyed further graded stakes success on the lawn with War Correspondent, who captured Saturday's GIII Miami Mile S. in convincing fashion for trainer Christophe Clement. Owned in partnership with Sagamore Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, the bay found the winner's circle for the first time since capturing the course-and-distance GIII Appleton S. in March 2015.
Prominent from the outset in a compact field of four, War Correspondent disputed the pace from the inside of Applicator around the opening bend before being wrangled back by jockey Tyler Gaffalione to track the pace behind a half-mile in :48.69. Given his cue on the far turn, the 7-year-old responded readily, collared Applicator entering the stretch and gradually edged clear to notch a comfortable victory. Applicator held second narrowly over the venerable Clement-trained 10-year-old Lubash.
“It was a perfect trip,” said Thomas Brandebourger. “He's a very genuine horse. He's going to give you everything. When he's right, he is a very good horse.”
As for Lubash, Brandebourger added, “He ran well. He had the pace against him. It was a slow pace and he had to make up ground. He just got beat for second place [by Applicator], but he ran well.”
Originally imported to America by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners after winning twice in France for Jean-Claude Rouget, War Correspondent placed third in the 2015 GI Gulfstream Park Turf H. and won the Appleton in their silks before being bought into by Calumet and Sagamore. He was subsequently sent to the sidelines for the remainder of 2015 and failed to hit the board in three appearances in 2016. A narrowly beaten third in a no conditions optional claimer at Tampa Jan. 6, he was last seen crossing the wire fourth before being promoted to third via disqualification in the Gulfstream Park Turf H. Feb. 11.
Pedigree Notes:
War Correspondent, a full-brother to MG1SW and GI Breeders' Cup Classic third Declaration of War and a half to SW & MGSP Vertiformer (Dynaformer), has additional stallion appeal down the line, as his dam is a half-sister to the Classic-winning Union Rags (Dixie Union), who is off to a smashing start at stud and is also proving a commercial success at auctions of all varieties. Third dam Terpsichorist (Nijinksy II) won two graded stakes races on the lawn.
Saturday, Gulfstream Park
MIAMI MILE S.-GIII, $97,000, GP, 4-29, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:34.19, fm.
1–WAR CORRESPONDENT, 119, h, 7, by War Front
1st Dam: Tempo West, by Rahy
2nd Dam: Tempo, by Gone West
3rd Dam: Terpsichorist, by Nijinsky II
O-Calumet Farm, Sagamore Farm & Eclipse Thoroughbred
Partners; B-Joseph Allen (KY); T-Christophe Clement; J-Tyler
Gaffalione. $62,000. Lifetime Record: 14-5-2-4, $330,989.
*Full to Declaration of War, Hwt. Older Horse-Eur at 9-11f,
Hwt. Older Horse-Ire at 7 – 9 1/2f & 9 1/2-11f, Hwt. Older
Horse-Eng at 9 1/2 – 11f, MG1SW-Eng, GSW-Ire, GISP-US,
$1,847,489; 1/2 to Vertiformer (Dynaformer), SW-Fr &
MGSP-US, $217,580. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2–Applicator, 118, g, 4, Henrythenavigator–River Flower, by
Strodes Creek. O-Olympia Star, Inc.; B/T-Mikhail Yanakov (KY).
$20,000.
3–Lubash, 123, h, 10, Freud–Nasty Cure, by Cure the Blues.
O/B-Aliyuee Ben J. Stable, Inc. (NY); T-Christophe Clement.
$10,000.
Margins: 1, NO, 3/4. Odds: 0.60, 14.10, 4.20.
Also Ran: Our Way. Scratched: Diamond Bachelor, Zulu, All Included. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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