By Alan Carasso
Saratoga Maidens, Presented By Keeneland
Spendthrift Farm and Frank Fletcher Racing Operation's Q B Rocket (c, 2, Gun Runner–Ginja, by Quality Road) was the pari-mutuel darling in a good-looking collection of 2-year-old males assembled for Saturday's eighth race maiden over six furlongs and ran to those odds and his $1.9-million purchase price at auction to become the afternoon's second 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard at Saratoga.
With Junior Alvarado deputizing for the injured Irad Ortiz, Jr., the athletic dark bay colt was beaten to the front by the twice-raced Decimation (Jackie's Warrior), but Q B Rocket was sent through at the fence by Alvarado to take up the running while barely being asked to do so approaching the entrance to the turn after a quarter in :22.66
The 5-4 favorite carried a narrow advantage around the turn and into the stretch while still being very quietly ridden as Decimation continued to give chase. But, under hands-and-heels urging only, Q B Rocket widened his advantage and was taken well in hand late, scoring by a deceptively easy margin.
The well-meant Card Man (Life Is Good) sat a good inside trip and popped out three wide for the drive, but was no match for the winner while hitting the line willingly. The final time of 1:10.70 was 0.10 quicker than the one recorded by the day's first 'Rising Star', Libby Lloyd (Into Mischief) two races prior.
Q B Rocket | Sarah Andrew
Q B Rocket continues a banner week in Saratoga for Three Chimneys' superstar sire Gun Runner. During the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale held last Monday and Tuesday, the 13-year-old stallion was responsible for 16 sales (18 ring) for a remarkable $22,825,000, a number that translated into 19.2% of the total gross of $118,640,000. His son of Four Graces (Majesticperfection), a half-sister to MGSW & GISP McCraken (Ghostzapper), was sold to Flying Dutchmen for $4 million, one of his 10 youngsters that changed hands for prices in the seven figures.
Q B Rocket was bred on a foal share by the Gun Runner Syndicate and trainer Bob Baffert, whose wife Natalie (Jill) raced the colt's dam Ginja (Quality Road) to a maiden victory and a black-type placing from 11 trips to the post for earnings just north of $106,000.
Ginja has plenty of pedigree to recommend her, as her half-sister Top Decile (Congrats)–second in the GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in 2014–is the dam of Danon Decile (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), who won the G1 Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) a little more than two months after Q B Rocket was foaled in March 2024. Ginja was purchased by Japanese interests for $290,000 in foal to Cody's Wish at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton November Sale and the in-utero colt sold for the equivalent of $223,730 as a foal at the 2025 JRHA Select Sale. Danon Decile has since padded his resume with a victory in the 2025 G1 Dubai Sheema Classic.
Ginja's most recent produce is a colt by the sire of Danon Decile foaled this past Apr. 2.
Q B Rocket is the 25th 'TDN Rising Star' for Gun Runner, who is responsible for one other winner out of a Quality Road mare, namely Jumping the Gun, a stakes winner at two, second in this year's GII Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and GIII Delaware Oaks and a latest third in the GIII Monmouth Oaks.
8th-Saratoga, $115,000, Msw, 8-15, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.70, ft, 1 3/4 lengths.
Q B ROCKET, c, 2, by Gun Runner
1st Dam: Ginja (SP, $106,550), by Quality Road
2nd Dam: Sequoia Queen, by Forestry
3rd Dam: Barefoot Dyana, by Dynaformer
Sales history: $1,900,000 Ylg '25 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $63,250. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel Racing. Click for the free Equineline.com catalog-style pedigree.
O-Spendthrift Farm LLC & Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc; B-GRS & Bob Baffert (KY); T-Brad H Cox.
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