Double Thunder put an exclamation point on what was already a great day for both his trainer Todd Pletcher and sire Super Saver with a decisive score in the GIII Bashford Manor S. at Churchill Downs. Just 15 minutes prior, Pletcher, who was also celebrating his birthday Saturday, won the GII Mother Goose S. at his Belmont base with Zaajel (Street Sense). Also, four races earlier at Churchill, Super Saver's Letruska took the GII Fleur de Lis S. The gray broke fine, but backed out of it immediately to trail the field as Lansdowne (Super Saver) blazed through an opening quarter in :21 flat with Tapped Off (Tapiture) bearing down on him from second. Still last approaching the bend, Double Thunder cut the corner to improve his position and wove his way between horses in the lane, punching through at the sixteenth-pole and rolling clear to score. Vodka N Water (Fed Biz) completed the exacta.
“I didn't think we would break as slow as he did so we had to adjust a little bit after the start,” Velazquez said. “Once I got to the quarter-pole I had a lot of confidence in him and thought we had a big shot. He did everything professionally today. Warming up, he didn't handle going with the pony as well so I warmed him up by himself. I knew there would be a lot of speed in the race and wanted to keep him close–just not last. You don't expect a 2-year-old to handle things like that as well as he did. He took dirt and handled it well and I think he can move forward a lot from that.”
Donning cap and gown in his 4 1/2-panel debut at Monmouth Park June 5, Double Thunder was given a 4-1 chance for this step up in class with Pletcher's first-call rider Johnny Velazquez in the irons.
Saturday, Churchill Downs
BASHFORD MANOR S.-GIII, $150,000, Churchill Downs, 6-26, 2yo, 6f, 1:11.17, ft.
1–DOUBLE THUNDER, 120, c, 2, by Super Saver
1st Dam: Rattataptap (
GSP, $197,687), by Tapit
2nd Dam: Sindy With an S, by Broken Vow
3rd Dam: Backroom Blues, by Dixieland Band
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($60,000 Ylg
'20 FTKSEL). O-Phoenix Thoroughbred, LTD; B-WinStar Farm,
LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-John R. Velazquez. $88,350.
Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $116,850. Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Vodka N Water, 122, c, 2, Fed Biz–Camielee, by Harlan's
Holiday. ($3,500 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Parkland Thoroughbreds,
Medallion Racing, RTA Family Trust & Little Red Feather
Racing; B-T/C Stable, LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.
$28,500.
3–Glacial, 120, c, 2, Frosted–Country Cafe, by Lion Heart.
($65,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL; $140,000 2yo '21 OBSMAR). O-Robert
Masterson; B-Mike G. Rutherford (KY); T-Norm W. Casse.
$14,250.
Margins: 4 3/4, HD, 2. Odds: 4.10, 7.40, 3.10.
Also Ran: Knocker Down, Red Run, Shesgotattitude, Lansdowne, Whistlewhileyoumow, Whatstheconnection, Tapped Off. Scratched: Rising Outlaw. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
Pedigree Notes:
Double Thunder's victory makes him the 13th graded scorer and 29th black-type winner for the Pletcher-trained GI Kentucky Derby hero Super Saver, who initially stood at WinStar, but was sold to Turkey. His GSP dam Rattataptap is a daughter of Grade III winner Sindy With An S (Broken Vow), who is also the dam of SW & GSP My Miss Tapit (Tapit) and GSP I'll Wrap It Up (Tapit). Double Thunder is the 9-year-old mare's first foal and she has since produced a yearling colt by Speightstown and a 2021 filly by the same WinStar stallion.
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