By Steve Sherack
Godolphin homebred East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro), tabbed as a 'TDN Rising Star' following a runaway debut victory sprinting with an 86 Beyer Speed Figure at Ellis Park Aug. 24, romped in front-running fashion by a geared-down 5 1/2 lengths while making his two-turn debut in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland.
Favored 'Rising Star' Ferocious (Flatter), a $1.3-million OBS March breezer and runner-up behind unbeaten GI Champagne Stakes winner Chancer McPatrick (McKinzie) in the GI Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga Sept. 2, was second-best after an eventful trip. Longshot Filoso (City of Light), a second-out maiden winner at the Spa, rounded out the trifecta.
East Avenue, sent off as the 5-2 second choice, cleared the field beneath Tyler Gaffalione heading into the first turn as Ferocious, who also acted up in the starting gate and tossed rider Luis Saez, raced in some early traffic and bounced off the rail. East Avenue cruised up front through fractions of :23.18 and :46.76 over a track playing very kindly to speed, hit the top of the short stretch in a race of his own and kept on rolling down the lane to punch his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile with an exclamation point.
The result stood following an objection lodged by the rider of the runner-up claiming interference against the winner heading into the run to the clubhouse turn.
Godolphin and trainer Brendan Walsh won this same race in 2019 with Darley stallion Maxfield (Street Sense), who was a late scratch and forced to sit out that fall's Breeders' Cup Juvenile with a foot bruise.
“I've been lucky enough to have a couple of very good horses the last two years, especially with Godolphin, and he seemed like he was right up there,” Walsh said. “I was just waiting for confirmation. I think he's a very special horse.”
Gaffalione added, “I had plenty of horse left. He's pretty special. I'm really excited about him.”
Godolphin also campaigns Friday's GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes heroine Immersive (Nyquist), who heads to the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies for Brad Cox with a perfect three-for-three record.
Pedigree Notes:
East Avenue becomes the 27th Grade I/Group 1 winner worldwide for leading sire Medaglia d'Oro. East Avenue was produced by the unraced Dance Music (Ghostzapper), a half-sister to Horse of the Year and Darley stallion Cody's Wish (Curlin). Dance Music is also responsible for a Hard Spun colt of 2023 and an Authentic filly of this year. She was bred back to Not This Time.
East Avenue's second dam Dance Card (Tapit), a $750,000 Fasig-Tipton Florida 2-year-old purchase by Sheikh Mohammed's operation, won the 2012 GI Gazelle S. and was third behind two-time champion Groupie Doll (Bowman's Band) in the following year's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint in her career finale.
East Avenue becomes the seventh Grade I winner for broodmare sire Ghostzapper.
What a performance! It was all #5 EAST AVENUE ($7.56) in the @BreedersCup Win and You're In $600,000 Breeders' Futurity (G1). The son of Madaglia d'Oro was ridden by @Tyler_Gaff and is trained by @brenpwalsh.
Watch more on @FanDuelTV. pic.twitter.com/caeGwysNKI
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) October 5, 2024
Saturday, Keeneland
CLAIBORNE BREEDERS' FUTURITY-GI, $594,063, Keeneland, 10-5, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.17, ft.
1–EAST AVENUE, 122, c, 2, by Medaglia d'Oro
1st Dam: Dance Music, by Ghostzapper
2nd Dam: Dance Card, by Tapit
3rd Dam: Tempting Note, by Editor's Note
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P.
Walsh; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $348,750. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0,
$390,645. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Ferocious, 122, c, 2, Flatter–Napier, by Midnight Lute.
'TDN Rising Star'. ($1,300,000 2yo '24 OBSMAR). O-JR Ranch,
Ramiro Restrepo, High Step Racing and OGMA Investments,
LLC; B-Gentry Stable LLC (KY); T-Gustavo Delgado. $112,500.
3–Filoso, 122, c, 2, City of Light–Kenda, by Bodemeister.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK
TYPE. ($210,000 Ylg '23 KEESEP). O-Gold Square LLC; B-Hunter
Valley Farm & Oisin Murphy (KY); T-Chad Summers. $56,250.
Margins: 5 1/4, 4 1/4, 1. Odds: 2.78, 1.07, 29.88.
Also Ran: Dapper Moon, Mesero, Tenacious Leader, Big Boat, Handsome Pants, Saratoga Cruiser, Ready for Peace, Optical.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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