Curlin's Corporate Power Game at Second Asking in Gulfstream Maiden Win

4th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 2-24, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:51.08, ft, neck.
CORPORATE POWER (c, 3, Curlin–Road to Victory {GSW-USA, SW-Can, $248,336}, by Quality Road), featured in Steve Sherack's 'Second Chances' series following a useful debut fourth-place finish behind the promising duo of Speak Easy (Constitution) and Victory Avenue (Arrogate) after getting bumped at the break going seven furlongs in a very live maiden special weight going seven furlongs on the Pegasus World Cup undercard Jan. 27, delivered as the 6-5 favorite in thrilling fashion here.

Stretching out to 1 1/8 miles, the $925,000 KEESEP yearling broke in and brushed with Batten Down (Tapit), a son of champion Close Hatches (First Defence) who was a debut sixth in that same heat, leaving the stalls. Ridden along in fourth by Javier Castellano rounding the clubhouse turn, Corporate Power was encouraged to keep pace while in that same position as Batten Down showed the way through a half mile in :47.86.

Corporate Power loomed up with a nice move while three deep on the far turn, but Batten Down was going the much easier of the two and Paco Lopez let it out a notch as they turned for home. Batten Down looked well on his way in the stretch, but Corporate Power wasn't done yet despite racing greenly and attempting to lug in repeatedly.

Corporate Power and Sturdy (Mitole) both began to lift as Batten Down tired late. Corporate Power, much more focused racing in between horses now, seemed to want it the most of the trio and was able to eke out a neck victory over Batten Down in a blanket finish. It was another neck back to Sturdy in third.

Corporate Power's dam Road to Victory, a winner of her first three career starts at two, highlighted by a neck victory over subsequent two-time champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GII Golden Rod S., brought $1.45 million from breeder Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings in foal to War Front at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Road to Victory produced a colt by Into Mischief in 2023 and a filly by Not This Time this year.

Sales history: $925,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $44,800. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Courtlandt Farms (Donald Adam); B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III.

#5 CORPORATE POWER ($4.60) gets up between rivals to win race 4 at Gulfstream Park.

This is the first victory and second career start for the Shug McGaughey trainee, who was ridden by @jjcjockey for Courtlandt Farms. pic.twitter.com/FlUYGa7iVr

— TVG (@TVG) February 24, 2024