By Christina Bossinakis
Sunday's GII Franklin Stakes was a tale of two trips. On one hand, Larry Johnson's Future Is Now (Great Notion), exiting post 5, benefitted from a rail-hugging trip that blossomed into a well-timed opening that propelled her to the front in early stretch and on to victory. On the other end, Godolphin's Star Of Mystery (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) didn't appear a touch sluggish while leaving post 1 and gradually got shuffled to the back of the 12-horse field, necessitating a giant run if there was any hope to even get a piece of it. When all was said and done at the end of the 5 1/2-furlong test, it was Future Is Now on top by 3/4 of a length. However, the epic run of the crowd's more fancied runner up begs notice in three week's time. Away in good order despite a power outage that caused a 50-minute delay, Future Is Now, sent off at 6-1, quickly rushed to the fore but was allowed to settle back in a ground-saving third as Stone Silent (Adios Charlie) and Pipsy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) showed the way through a :21.17 quarter. Meanwhile, in a blink of an eye, the 4-5 choice Star Of Mystery was several lengths back in last, seemingly armed with some energy but with nowhere to go. Straitening for home, Future Is No moved into second, gradually wearing down the pacesetter, however, the favorite still had a half dozen rivals to overcome and several lengths to make up.
Knifing her way through the pack like a Ginsu, the GIII Quick Call Stakes winner appeared on the scene in the dying strides, and despite the favorite's gallant effort, the Godolphin homebred found herself 3/4 of a length shy of the winner at the wire. It was another half -length back to Pandora's Gift in third. The filly completed the 5 1/2 trip in 1:01.47, surpassing the stakes record mark of 1:01 3/5 established by Chris's Thunder in 2000.
“The filly was so great today,” said winning rider Paco Lopez. “She was very comfortable during the race. She was perfect. After a little breather, I asked her and she passed between the horses, no problem at all, and she gave me a big kick.”
Of the beaten favorite, Flavien Prat explained, “She broke well, but I just wasn't fast enough. We got covered up. I found myself a bit too far [back] and had to make up that ground. When you come from behind, you have some [traffic]. I never ever stopped riding. I mean she had a run all the way down the lane, but I had to pick a spot after spot.”
Irish-bred Pandora's Gift was making only her second U.S. start, having finished a close-up second last time in the GII Preque Isle Masters at Presque Isle Downs Sept. 20.
“She was pretty good,” said Adam Beschizza aboard the third-place finisher. “I think she's got her speed pretty dialed after that good run at Presque Isle Downs,”
A winner in her second start of 2024 in a Gulfstream five-panel sprint in February, the Mike Tombetta-trained filly was runner-up in the Captiva Island Stakes the following month before checking home fifth in the 5 1/2-panel King Leatherbury Stakes at Laurel Apr. 20. Taking her next two in Pimlico's May 17 The Very One Stakes followed by the GII Intercontinental Stakes at the Spa June 7, the Maryland bred was third upstate behind Dontlookbackatall (Peace and Justice) in the GIII Caress Stakes July 25. In her latest start, she came home a 1/2 length winner over Star Guest (GB) and favored Roses for Debra in Saratoga's Smart N Fancy Stakes Aug. 23.
Pedigree Notes:
Future Is Now's Franklin victory becomes the eighth graded stakes score for Northview Stallion Station's Maryland-based sire Great Notion. Dam Past as Prelude is also responsible for SW Call Another Play (Audible) and MSP Continentalcongress (Constitution). The half-sister to Grade III winner Street Magician (Street Cry {Ire}) also has an unraced juvenile colt by McKinzie and a weanling filly by Audible. She was bred back to Charlatan.
Saturday, Keeneland
FRANKLIN S.-GII, $303,244, Keeneland, 10-13, 3yo/up, f/m, 5 1/2fT, 1:01.47, fm.
1–FUTURE IS NOW, 125, f, 4, by Great Notion
1st Dam: Past as Prelude, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Magical Meadow, by Meadowlake
3rd Dam: Special Kell, by Parfaitement
O/B-R. Larry Johnson (MD); T-Michael J. Trombetta; J-Paco
Lopez. $169,725. Lifetime Record: 14-7-1-1, $601,160. *1/2 to
Continentalcongres (Constitution), MSP, $313,800; 1/2 to Call
Another Play (Audible), SW & GSP, $280,625. Werk Nick
Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report &
5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com
catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Star of Mystery (GB), 122, f, 3, Kodiac (GB)–Mistrusting (Ire),
by Shamardal. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charles Appleby.
$54,750.
3–Pandora's Gift (Ire), 118, f, 3, Churchill (Ire)–Amthaal (GB), by
Exceed And Excel (Aus). (€28,000 Ylg '22 GOFSPT). O/T-Stuart C. Williams;
B-Rossenarra Bloodstock Ltd (IRE). $27,375.
Margins: 3/4, HF, NK. Odds: 6.88, 0.88, 40.37.
Also Ran: Stone Silent, Frost At Dawn, Kairyu (Ire), Pipsy (Ire), Roses for Debra, Accomplished Girl, Awesome Treat, Elm Drive, Dontlookbackatall. Scratched: B G Warrior, Beauty of the Sea, Bling, Twirling Queen.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs.
VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
