Liam's Map Colt Leads Home Asmussen Triple in the Hopeful

Basin | Sarah Andrew

Basin, the longest price of Steve Asmussen's three-headed monster in Monday's GI Runhappy Hopeful S. at Saratoga, proved easily best of all and ran away to an empathic triumph in the Spa's annual closing-day feature, becoming the first stakes winner for his freshman sire (by Unbridled's Song) in the process.

Unveiled as an 11-10 chalk June 14 at Churchill, the $150,000 KEESEP buy just missed by a nose to the re-opposing By Your Side (Constitution), who returned to capture the local GIII Sanford S. on opening weekend. Earning his diploma when besting next-out 'TDN Rising Star' Three Technique (Mr Speaker) going a furlong shorter here July 21, the bay was given a 31-10 Hopeful chance while 'Rising Star' stablemates Gozilla (Flatter) and Shoplifted (Into Mischief) went off at 6-5 and 5-2, respectively.

Breaking in stride from his outside post, Basin quickly deferred under leading rider Jose Ortiz to sit third as Gozilla made the point while pressed along by longshot American Butterfly through a :22.66 quarter. Drawing within a length of the front as the sextet compressed passing a :45.84 half, he poked his head in front when set down by Ortiz three sixteenths from home. Drifting out sharply nearing the eighth pole, he was quickly corrected and leveled off impressively to slam the door by the sixteenth marker en route to a dominant 6 1/2-length score. Shoplifted just got up for second over Gozilla, giving Asmussen a one-two-three finish as he registered his first career Hopeful victory.

“I think that the day suited him with the post-position draw and the way that it came out,” said Asmussen. “Those are three very talented horses and hopefully that's the last time they'll run against each other for a while. Gozilla didn't get a lot out of his maiden race and he was back in 22 days; Ricardo [Santana, Jr.] said he was blowing afterwards. Joel [Rosario] thought that Shoplifted spun his wheels away from there and it took him quite a while to get on his feet. I've always been surprised with how much speed he [Basin] showed. Physically, and pedigree wise, we were excited about him running long and we were surprised at how sharp he was the first time he ran.”

Regarding his banner Saratoga summer with 2-year-olds, Asmussen added, “We felt great about them coming into the meet. We thought we had some extremely talented 2-year-olds and I think they've proved that.”

“I saw them going at it and it was the first time going seven furlongs, so you've got to be a little careful,” said Ortiz. “I just took my time. I could have moved a little earlier, but I didn't want to since they were fighting. I gave my horse a really nice breather from the half-mile to the quarter pole and that made a difference. I made just one move with him.”

Pedigree Notes:

Basin gets the ball rolling in the black-type category for Lane's End Farm's brilliant Liam's Map, who was never worse than second in eight career starts and registered four 110+ Beyer figures, including a pair of 114s in back-to-back conquests of the GI Woodward S. and GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile to close out his career in 2015. He is a half-brother to GSW Rise Up and a yearling colt by Orb. His dam was bred to Nyquist this season. Third dam Beal Street Blues captured the GII Del Mar Debutante S. in 1992.

Monday, Saratoga
RUNHAPPY HOPEFUL S.-GI, $350,000, Saratoga, 9-2, 2yo, 7f, 1:23.48, sy.
1–BASIN, 120, c, 2, by Liam's Map
                1st Dam: Appenzell, by Johannesburg
                2nd Dam: Bourbon Blues, by Seeking the Gold
                3rd Dam: Beal Street Blues, by Dixieland Band
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. ($150,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Jackpot Farm;
B-Cottonwood Stables, LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Jose
Ortiz. $192,500. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $261,000. *1/2 to
Rise Up (Rockport Harbor), GSW, $1,225,540. **First stakes
winner for freshman sire (by Unbridled's Song). Werk Nick
Rating: A+. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Shoplifted, 120, c, 2, Into Mischief–Shopit, by Yes It's True.
'TDN Rising Star' ($525,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; $800,000 2yo '19
FTFMAR). O-Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stables, LLC & LNJ
Foxwoods; B-Machmer Hall, Carrie & Craig Brogden (KY);
T-Steven M. Asmussen. $70,000.
3–Gozilla, 120, c, 2, Flatter–Atlantic Dream, by Stormy Atlantic.
'TDN Rising Star' ($170,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP; $150,000 Ylg
'18 FTKOCT; $395,000 RNA 2yo '19 OBSAPR). O-Zayat Stables,
LLC & Gary Barber; B-Wildwood Farm & Indian Creek (KY);
T-Steven M. Asmussen. $42,000.
Margins: 6HF, NK, 2. Odds: 3.10, 2.80, 1.30.
Also Ran: American Butterfly, By Your Side, Inside Risk. Scratched: Green Light Go. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

 

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