Outplay went right to the front and never looked back to post a dominant score in Friday Friday's featured event. The second choice in the wagering emerged with a clear early lead and doled out splits of :24.06, :48.71 and 1:13.29. He repelled the challenge of Small Bear turning for home and, despite switching back to his wrong lead in midstretch and traveling awkwardly, continued on to win as he pleased. Small Bear held second from the just-getting-going Perfect Partner.
A fourth-out winner in a rained-off Big A maiden special weight Apr. 8, Outplay added a Parx optional claimer May 6. He was last seen finishing third in Belmont's June 10 Easy Goer S. behind romping next-out GIII Los Alamitos Derby winner West Coast (Flatter) and race favorite You're to Blame (Distorted Humor), who settled for fourth.
“I don't know that we expected a dominant performance,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “We felt like the horse was training very well and we felt like on paper we had a bit of a pace advantage. You never know what everyone else's strategy is, but we felt like we had the most natural speed and we wanted to take advantage of that. He was able to get to the first turn in good order and I thought he ran very well.”
As for a next target, Pletcher said, 'I don't know for sure. I don't want to commit to the [Aug. 26 GI] Travers yet. He did have a huge win at Parx earlier in the year; the Pennsylvania Derby could make some sense, but I'll talk to Mr. Repole about it. I'm sure he'd be excited to run in the Travers. We'll see how things go tomorrow and how the Travers shapes up and go from there.”
The winner's second dam produced MGISW Clear Mandate (Deputy Minister), who in turn was responsible for 2013 GI Hopeful S. winner Strong Mandate (Tiznow), MGSW/MGISP Newfoundland (Storm Cat), et al. Outplay's third dam is GISW Likely Exchange, the dam of GI Belmont S. winner Creme Fraiche. He has a weanling half-brother by Mr Speaker.
CURLIN S., $100,000, SAR, 7-28, (C), 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:50.59, ft.
1–#OUTPLAY, 119, c, 3, by Bernardini
1st Dam: Miss Kate (SP, $144,100), by Storm Cat
2nd Dam: Dream Deal, by Sharpen Up (GB)
3rd Dam: Likely Exchange, by Terrible Tiger
($70,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP; $275,000 2yo '16 OBSMAR).
O-Repole Stable; B-G. Watts Humphrey (KY); T-Todd A.
Pletcher; J-John R. Velazquez. $60,000. Lifetime Record:
7-3-2-1, $163,000. *1/2 to Raconteur (A.P. Indy), SW,
$163,133; and Katerbug (Pulpit), SW, $119,152.[bullet ad=”crupi-trained”][bullet ad=”lanes-end-sales-grad”]2–Small Bear, 121, g, 3, Macho Uno–Stella Prima, by El Prado
(Ire). ($45,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP; $80,000 2yo '16 OBSAPR).
O-August Dawn Farm; B-Martin Lake & Serendipity Farm (KY);
T-Gary Sciacca. $20,000.[bullet ad=”bluewater-shell-big-fish”][bullet ad=”bradshaw-randy-shell”]3–Perfect Partner, 118, c, 3, Curlin–Stars Indy Skies, by A.P.
Indy. ($110,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP; $550,000 2yo '16 OBSMAR).
O-John C. Oxley & Gary Barber; B-Summer Wind Farm (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. $10,000.[bullet ad=”lanes-end-sales-grad”][bullet ad=”casse-co-purchase-black-on-pink”]Margins: 5 3/4, 3/4, NK. Odds: 2.05, 5.00, 7.30.
Also Ran: You're to Blame, Everybodyluvsrudy, Thirst for Victory, Hemsworth. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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