St. Elias Stables homebred Rated by Merit (c, 2, Battalion Runner–Banner Waving, by Speightstown), featured in TDN nearly six weeks ago as Vinnie Viola's “unlikely Derby contender,” showed again why he ranks at or near the top of the promising 2-year-olds for the powerful stable. The undefeated colt won Saturday's FTBOA Florida Sire In Reality Stakes at Gulfstream to sweep the Florida Sires series.
With the In Reality his first try around two turns, Rated by Merit broke smoothly from the rail to set an easy :24.13 and :48.92 pace. Classic of Course (Awesome of Course) threatened to his outside on the turn, but the 1-5 favorite let out a notch with confidence and, despite belatedly swapping to his correct lead and drifting slightly in the lane, he finished six lengths clear while pricking his ears at the wire.
“When I took the lead at the beginning I was expecting some pressure, but I didn't get any,” said winning rider Jesus Rios. “For that reason, I was very relaxed with the horse and in the final stretch he got wide a little bit but the horse was very strong in the last part of the race. He is a very special horse. I feel very blessed to win this race and win the Triple Crown of the Florida Sire Stakes.”
Rated by Merit has posted Beyer Speed Figures of 92 or above in each of his three previous starts, including a 99 in the FTBOA Florida Sire Affirmed Stakes Oct. 19. He also captured the Sept. 7 FTBOA Florida Sire Dr. Fager Stakes, giving him a sweep of the series, and broke his maiden at Gulfstream in July by 9 3/4 lengths.
The winner's dam, Banner Waving, was purchased by Viola for $19,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November sale. She is a granddaughter of GISW Runup the Colors, who hails from an extremely deep family. Rated by Merit is her most recent reported foal. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
“He's just toying with them here!”
#1 RATED BY MERIT romps in the $300,000 In Reality Stakes at Gulfstream Park. @JockeyRios in the irons on the son of Battalion Runner who is trained by Michael Yates. pic.twitter.com/G6LnQrZkfC
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) November 30, 2024
FTBOA FLORIDA SIRE IN REALITY S., $300,000, Gulfstream, 11-30, (C), 2yo, c/g, 1 1/16m, 1:45.71, ft.
1–RATED BY MERIT, 122, c, 2, by Battalion Runner
1st Dam: Banner Waving, by Speightstown
2nd Dam: Freedom Flag, by Dixie Union
3rd Dam: Runup the Colors, by A.P. Indy
O/B-St. Elias Stables, LLC (FL); T-Michael Yates; J-Jesus M.
Rios. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, $400,000.
2–Classic of Course, 118, c, 2, Awesome of Course–Alma
Mater, by Honor Code. O-Amy E. Dunne and Patrick L.
Biancone; B-Amy E. Dunne & Ciaran G. Dunne (FL);
T-Patrick L. Biancone. $60,000.
3–Just Relax, 118, c, 2, Noble Bird–Strategize, by Afleet Alex.
($22,000 Ylg '23 OBSOCT; $75,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR).
1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Sonata Stable; B-John Oxley Living Trust
(FL); T-Jose Francisco D'Angelo. $33,000.
Margins: 6, 9, NO. Odds: 0.20, 7.30, 23.70.
Also Ran: Latch the Hatch, Lou, Roar of the Beast, Oleg, Emmett. Scratched: Neoequos.
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