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 Thursday, June 15, 2006

  Churchill Downs, Race 2, Msw, 48,500, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:03 3/5, ft

  Circular Quay, C, 2, by Thunder Gulch

1st Dam: Circle of Life (GISW, $238,925), by Belong to Me

2nd Dam: Concentric, by Shadeed

3rd Dam: Magic Circle, by Alydar

The even-money favorite in his first lifetime start was slow to get into action after the break and needed to be asked to pick it up halfway through the turn for home. However, when he hit the head of the stretch after being forced five wide, Circular Quay took over with a forceful move, passing three horses easily and drawing off under continued urging from jockey Rafael Bejarano to score by 6 1/4 widening lengths for Michael Tabor and Todd Pletcher. The winner is a half-brother to Circle the World (Fusaichi Pegasus), a candidate for tomorrow’s GIII Northern Dancer Breeders’ Cup S. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $31,300.

Click for the race video. 

O: Michael Tabor | B: Doreen Tabor (KY) | T: Todd Pletcher