5th-Gulfstream, $44,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($35,000), 3-1, 4yo/up, 6f, 1:09.25, ft.
HIDDEN SCROLL (c, 4, Hard Spun–Sheba Queen, by Empire Maker), named a 'TDN Rising Star' after a 14-length debut romp in the slop last January that earned him a gaudy 104 Beyer Speed Figure, finally put it all together again Sunday to stamp himself as one to watch in 2020. The Juddmonte homebred set a much-too-fast pace before fading to fourth at 6-5 behind Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}) in the GII Xpressbet Fountain of Youth S. 12 months ago, and had no kick after fighting with his rider for the first half of the Mar. 30 GI Xpressbet Florida Derby–ultimately checking in sixth behind none other than Maximum Security (New Year's Day). He was a particularly disappointing third at 4-5 odds in a Churchill Downs allowance on the GI Kentucky Derby undercard May 4, and hadn't been seen in the afternnoon since, but had been firing bullets of late at Payson Park in preparation for this much-anticipated return. A bit hesitant to load into the gate, he broke well and vied for command without being asked for much early. The overwhelming 1-5 favorite took over under his own power heading into the turn, and Lord Adare (Violence) briefly looked like he might make a race of it. Hidden Scroll was in a race of his own entering the stretch, however, and he cantered home the easiest of 12 1/2-length winners. Noon Time Gem (Gemologist) was best of the rest, while Lord Adare faded to sixth. Hidden Scroll has a 2-year-old half-brother by Flintshire (GB) and his dam–a daughter of Group 1 winner Etoile Montante (Miswaki) and a half to MGSW Starformer (Dynaformer)–visited Carpe Diem for 2020. Lifetime Record: 5-2-0-1, $97,300. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-William I. Mott.
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