'TDN Rising Star' Obliteration (c, 2, Violence–I'mclassyandsassy, by Master Command), a runaway debut winner at Churchill Downs June 12, lived up to his name with another dominating victory in Saturday's GIII Sanford S. at Saratoga. Blinging It Back (Volatile) was second; Imagine John (Maclean's Music) was third.
The 4-5 favorite shot out to the front beneath Flavien Prat, was hounded by Blinging It Back through fractions of :22.74 and :45.56 and powered clear from that rival in the stretch to win by 10 1/2 lengths.
“He's just a very special horse,” said Scott Blasi, assistant to winning trainer Steve Asmussen. “He has a ton of class for a 2-year-old, very laid back and really good turn of foot. I definitely think he improved from his first race to this race. He's sharper and more focused. We don't run a lot of horses first time out in blinkers, but he definitely needs the focus going forward. A tremendous amount of talent and it's fun to have a nice horse for the Acklerley brothers again.”
Blasi added, “We'll train him up here and see how he comes out of it, talk to Steve and the Ackerleys and see where we run back.”
Pedigree Notes:
Obliteration, a half-brother to Pure Class (The Big Beast), SW, $265,313; Big and Classy (The Big Beast), GSP, $356,490; Sassy Beast (The Big Beast), SW, $297,110; and Family Biz (Fed Biz), SP, $452,878, becomes the 54th stakes/21st graded winner worldwide for Violence. Two-time winner and Sorority S. runner-up I'mclassyandsassy produced a filly by Girvin in 2024 and a colt by Elite Power this year. I'mclassyandsassy brought $85,000 from Ocala Stud carrying Obliteration at the 2022 KEENOV sale.
Saturday, Saratoga
SANFORD S.-GIII, $175,000, Saratoga, 7-5, 2yo, 6f, 1:10.65, ft.
1–OBLITERATION, 120, c, 2, by Violence
1st Dam: I'mclassyandsassy (SP), by Master Command
2nd Dam: Launch Site, by Relaunch
3rd Dam: Insight to Cope, by Copelan
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($200,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR). O-Leland Ackerley Racing; B-Ocala Stud (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen; J-Flavien Prat. $96,250. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $165,550. *1/2 to Pure Class (The Big Beast), SW, $265,313, Big and Classy (The Big Beast), GSP, $356,490, Sassy Beast (The Big Beast), SW, $297,110 and Family Biz (Fed Biz), SP, $452,878. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Blinging It Back, 118, c, 2, Volatile–Ima Three Blinger, by Too Much Bling. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($80,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-Gary Barber and Peter Deutsch; B-Forever Spring Farm (KY); T-Mark E. Casse. $35,000.
3–Imagine John, 118, c, 2, Maclean's Music–Lady Azalea, by Mineshaft. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($30,000 Wlg '23 KEENOV; $30,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; $50,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR). O-Pure Bred Funding LLC and Jason T. Lorenz; B-Narola, LLC & Jason Taylor (KY); T-Jena M. Antonucci. $21,000.
Margins: 10HF, 3 1/4, 3. Odds: 0.90, 1.55, 19.30.
Also Ran: Strategic Risk, Fistfulofmoney, Honey Dutch.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
OBLITERATION is now a perfect 2-for-2 with a huge score in the G3 Sanford Stakes with Flavien Prat up for trainer Steve Asmussen. pic.twitter.com/LZFrn3LWQv
— NYRA (🗽) (@TheNYRA) July 5, 2025
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