A 2 1/2-length debut winner, Classical Cat jumped straight into deep waters, contesting the GI Del Mar Futurity and finishing seventh behind 'TDN Rising Star' Cave Rock (Arrogate). Back in the winner's circle last time out at Santa Anita Oct. 23 in his first try over grass, Classical Cat kept to the grass Friday and broke as the 2-1 second wagering choice behind favored Nagirroc. Off the pace in fourth as Game Time (Not This Time) led the field of six, he hung against the rail before tipping out for a three-wide move into upper stretch. First Peace refused to let him go by and the pair dueled into the sixteenth before Classical Cat dealt the final blow and got ahead for the narrow win.
“I had Nagirroc to my outside and obviously he was the horse to beat,” said winning jockey Umberto Rispoli. “I was praying that Mike Smith (aboard First Peace) would go a little bit ahead of me at the quarter pole, which would give me a chance to find room between them. The horse helped me. I had a ton of horse underneath and when you have gas, you can go wherever you want. I think he won easily today.”
The second black-type winner for his freshman sire (by Scat Daddy), Classical Cat hails back to dual Eclipse champion and perennial leading sire Curlin (Smart Strike). Conquest Strate Up produced a yearling filly, H M Legacy (Hard Spun), and a weanling colt by Tiz the Law before going back to Tiz the Law for a 2023 foal. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
EDDIE LOGAN S., $100,500, Santa Anita, 12-30, 2yo, 1mT, 1:34.38, gd.
1–CLASSICAL CAT, 120, c, 2, by Mendelssohn
1st Dam: Conquest Strate Up (SW, $192,984), by Not Bourbon
2nd Dam: Deputy, by Hadif
3rd Dam: Sherriff's Deputy, by Deputy Minister
($65,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Michael
House; B-Pippa's Hurricane LLC (KY); T-Philip D'Amato;
J-Umberto Rispoli. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0,
$146,300.
2–First Peace, 120, c, 2, Funtastic–Peace Opportunity, by
Point of Entry. ($15,000 Ylg '21 FTKFEB; $65,000 Ylg '21
FTKOCT; $75,000 2yo '22 OBSOPN). O-Rancho Temescal LLC,
Red Baron's Barn LLC & Rodney E. Orr; B-Christopher L. Baker
& Mullikin Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Mark Glatt. $20,000.
3–Nagirroc, 118, c, 2, Lea–Emma Spencer (Ire), by Zamindar.
O-Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables LLC & William
Strauss; B-Chervenell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-H. Graham
Motion. $12,000.
Margins: HF, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.30, 5.60, 1.10.
Also Ran: Game Time, Malibu Coast, Ah Jeez. Scratched: Speed Boat Beach, Tostado (Ire).
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