Jump Sucker Stable's Slipstream backed up a sharp maiden victory earlier in the meet with a score in the GIII Futurity S. Sunday at Belmont, a Win and You're In qualifier for the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
Debuting locally over six furlongs on grass, the $170,000 Keeneland September purchase ran an even fifth after hitting the gate at the start, then faced more early trouble in a Saratoga off-the-turfer July 30 before finishing a distant third. Cruising to a 5 1/4-length graduation going seven panels here Sept. 18, the dark bay was made the second choice here and was checked several times in the opening furlong to be relegated to last behind a :22.39 quarter. Advancing while saving ground on the turn, he awaited room in early stretch, squeezed through at the rail at the furlong grounds, tipped into the two path soon after and overhauled pace-dueling longshot Run Curtis Run in deep stretch to prevail. Even-money favorite Chi Town Lady (Verrazano) was a no-factor sixth.
“I'm very happy,” said winning trainer Christophe Clement. “He belongs to Jump Sucker–a partnership that belongs to [NYRA board member] Stephen Duncker and three of his friends. I haven't had a really good horse for them since Governor Malibu a few years ago. I thought he would be a bit closer to the pace, but I train and let Joel [Rosario] ride. He rides better than I do and I train better than he does. He said he got really slammed coming out the gate. Otherwise, I thought he was cruising and going well. I love the way he finished. He was very impressive when he broke his maiden here last time.”
Clement also said that his preference is to run in the one-mile GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf despite now having a fees-paid berth to the Juvenile Turf Sprint.
“If it's up to me, yes. We have to see how he comes out of it and be sure the owners are on board and that everything goes well. I'd like to go [Juvenile Turf Sprint] with Derrynane, who won [the Woodbine Cares] at Woodbine last month. I still don't know if they'll invite her or not. I prefer six [furlongs] going into a race that's a mile at Del Mar on firm than a mile and a sixteenth and drop back to a mile. I always like when you go to California, the idea of pushing that sprinter speed going six or seven furlongs to a mile.”
Pedigree Notes:
With the victory, Slipstream becomes the 211th stakes winner and 96th graded stakes winner for WinStar's 24-year-old stalwart More Than Ready. He is the second foal to race out of his stakes-placed dam, following Too Sexy (Quality Road), who scored in an allowance/optional claimer with a career-high 89 Beyer at Belmont Sept. 25. His second dam was an Illinois-bred stakes winner. Cake Baby, a $110,000 Keeneland November pickup by McKenzie Bloodstock in 2016, produced a colt by Catalina Cruiser this term before being bred to Game Winner.
Sunday, Belmont Park
FUTURITY S.-GIII, $150,000, Belmont, 10-10, 2yo, 6fT, 1:08.36, fm.
1–SLIPSTREAM, 120, c, 2, by More Than Ready
1st Dam: Cake Baby (SP), by Stormy Atlantic
2nd Dam: Dharma Girl, by French Deputy
3rd Dam: Cashelmara, by Key to the Mint
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($170,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Jump Sucker Stable; B-Burleson Farm &
McKenzie Bloodstock (KY); T-Christophe Clement; J-Joel
Rosario. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1, $147,600.
Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Run Curtis Run, 122, c, 2, Summer Front–My Magic Moment,
by Forest Wildcat. ($45,000 Ylg '20 EASOCT). O-Michael Dubb
& Michael J. Caruso; B-Larry Goichman (NY); T-Michael J.
Maker. $30,000.
3–Biz Biz Buzz, 120, c, 2, Fed Biz–Our Candy Striper, by Candy
Ride (Arg). O-Live Oak Plantation; B-Live Oak Stud (FL);
T-Michael J. Trombetta. $18,000.
Margins: 1, HF, 3/4. Odds: 2.30, 20.50, 10.50.
Also Ran: Midnight Worker, Poppy Flower, Chi Town Lady, Kavod, Ready to March. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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