Campaign Guts It Out in the Cougar II

Campaign (Curlin) looked to have the field for Wednesday's GIII Cougar II H. over a barrel on paper, but the 4-year-old made jockey Rafael Bejarano work for it–and those that crushed him into 7-10 favoritism sweat for it a fair bit–before edging away to take his career batting average to .500.

Drawn widest in a field scratched down to five, the $675,000 Keeneland September purchase dropped himself right out the back door and trailed by double digits a furlong into the race, forcing Bejarano to ride him along entering the stretch for the first time. For the Top (Arg) (Equal Stripes {Arg}) took them along at a decent gallop for the distance, chased along by Morse Code (Tapit) with Itsinthepost (Fr) (American Post {GB})–very much at home at the trip, but a question mark trying the dirt for the first time–close in tow. For his part, Campaign continued to lob along from well back at midway, and sensing a bit of urgency, was asked to take closer order from fourth down the backstretch. Called upon for everything he had at the three-eighths marker, the heavy chalk began to gain ground, but still looked in deep water, as Itsinthepost struck to the front with under two furlongs to race. But Campaign took a deep breath at the three-sixteenths, grabbed Itsinthepost with 100 yards to race and came away to a hard-fought success.

A maiden winner going 12 grassy furlongs at Kentucky Downs last summer while under the care of Steve Asmussen and an allowance winner over an extended mile-and-a-quarter trip, Campaign was 10th in Keeneland's GIII Sycamore S. before switching to this barn this season. A running-on fourth to stablemate and 'TDN Rising Star' Gift Box (Twirling Candy) in the GI Santa Anita H. Apr. 6, he backed up eight days later to easily land the 12-furlong GIII Tokyo City S. Campaign was exiting a fourth in the GII Brooklyn Invitational S. at Belmont June 8 in which he was under a similarly busy ride for most of the opening 10 panels, then was locked away in traffic when full of run late.

Pedigree Notes:

Campaign is out of an unraced daugher of SW & GSP Aurora (Danzig), the dam of GISWs Arch (Kris S.) and Acoma (Empire Maker), GSW Festival of Light (A.P. Indy) and Arch's MSW full-brother Alisios. Aurora is also the second dam of Japanese MGSW & MGISP Albiano (Harlan's Holiday) and of the GSW & track record-setting Covfefe (Into Mischief), who will be one of the favorites for the GI Longines Test S. next weekend. Aurora's dam was the outstanding racemare Althea, champion 2-year-old filly of 1983 and winner of the 1984 GI Arkansas Derby. Campaign's 2-year-old half-brother, Aster Horn (Speightstown), was purchased for $360,000 out of last year's September sale and has been sent to Japan, no surprise given that horses from this family like Rabbit Run (Tapit) and Asukusa Genki (Stormy Atlantic) are recent group winners in the country. Arania is the dam of a yearling Speightstown filly and was barren to Mastery for 2019.

Wednesday, Del Mar
COUGAR II H.-GIII, $100,000, Del Mar, 7-24, 3yo/up, 1 1/2m, 2:32.36, ft.
1–CAMPAIGN, 123, c, 4, by Curlin">Curlin
1st Dam: Arania, by Dynaformer
2nd Dam: Aurora, by Danzig
3rd Dam: Althea, by Alydar
($675,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Woodford Racing LLC;
B-Alexander-Groves Thoroughbreds (KY); T-John W Sadler;
J-Rafael Bejarano. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 10-5-1-0,
$394,753. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A++.
2–Itsinthepost (Fr), 121, g, 7, American Post (GB)–Sakkara Star
(Ire), by Mozart (Ire). (€5,000 Ylg '13 OSLATE). O-Red Baron's
Barn LLC; B-Julien Leaunes (FR); T-Jeff Mullins. $20,000.
3–For the Top (Arg), 119, c, 4, Equal Stripes (Arg)–Stormy
Martyr (Arg), by Bernstein. O-RRR Racing Inc; B-El Turf (ARG);
T-Bob Baffert. $12,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 12, 1 3/4. Odds: 0.70, 4.10, 2.80.
Also Ran: Morse Code, Original Intent. Scratched: Premium Forest, Zestful.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.