Pricey KEEJAN Purchase Belgrade Up in Time at Tampa

1st-Tampa Bay Downs, $28,600, Alw (NW1X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 2-19, 3yo, 7f, 1:24.10, ft, head.
BELGRADE (c, 3, Hard Spun–Miss Prytania, by Eskendereya), a $700,000 KEEJAN purchase earlier this year off the heels of a six-length debut graduation for owner Randy Bradshaw and trainer Brendan Walsh in a maiden special weight reserved for horses that sold or RNA'd for $45,000 or less at auction at Fair Grounds Dec. 18, delivered as the 1-2 favorite after some anxious moments in his first start for his new connections at Tampa Saturday. Off to a stumbling beginning from his rail draw, Belgrade trailed the field of six in the early stages. Racing in some traffic while under a snug hold following a :23.29 opening quarter, he rolled up into the clear four deep to challenge for command on the far turn, and kept on coming in the stretch with a sustained rally to wear down Morgan Point (Jess's Dream) by a head. The winner's dam, a half-sister to GI Belmont S. third Medal Count (Dynaformer), has a Practical Joke filly of 2020 ($150,000 KEENOV purchase by OXO Equine) and Accelerate colt of 2021 in the pipeline. She was bred to Army Mule for 2022. Sales history: $45,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL; $700,000 3yo '22 KEEJAN. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $35,400. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Carl F. & Yurie Pascarella; B-J. R. Ward Stables LLC (KY); T-H. Graham Motion.