BY BROCK SHERIDAN
West Point Thoroughbreds’ Curtain Call makes his second consecutive start in a Grade 1 when the 2-year-old Florida-bred goes in the $500,000 Champagne on Saturday during the Belmont at Big A meet. The Mark Casse-trained son of Tiz the Law takes on eight other juveniles in the one-mile Champagne, which offers a Win And Your’re In fees paid invitation to the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Juvenile set for Oct. 31 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.
In his second career race, Curtain Call was an impressive eight-and-a-half-length winner of a maiden special weight going six furlongs on the slop at Saratoga Race Course on July 12.
He then graduated into Grade 1 company on Sept. 1 in the seven-furlong Spendthrift Farm Hopeful at Saratoga. He was boxed in while trying to advance entering the far turn then shifted off the rail to maneuver into contention in the stretch. Evenutal winner Ted Noffey got clear in the final furlong while Curtain finished third in a photo for second with runner-up Buetane.
Curtain Call has earned $104,500 in his three races.
West Point bought him for $325,000 out of Steven Venosa’s SGV Thoroughbreds consignment at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale March Sale of 2-year-olds in training earlier this year.
He is out of Deep Trouble, by Into Mischief and was bred in Florida by Nancy Stone.
Curtain Call has post one and Ricardo Santana Jr. will ride for the first time.
Double Down Horse Racing’s It’s Our Time makes his stakes debut after breaking his maiden at Saratoga in his first start, winning by 17 ¾ lengths. The Tom Amoss-trained son of Not This Time pressed the pace in the six-and-a-half-furlong maiden special weight then exploded away from his competition out of the turn with Luis Saez aboard.
It’s Our Time is out of the multiple stakes-winning Florida-bred mare Shea D Summer, by Summer Front and earned $55,000 for the victory.
Luis Saez has the return mount on It’s Our Time from post six.
Napoleon Solo also exits a nice maiden special weight victory in his only start.
Owned by Gold Square LLC and trained by Chad Summers, Napoleon Solo won a six-furlong maiden special weight by five-and-a-quarter length at Saratoga on Aug. 8 and enters with three bullet works to his credit. His last breeze came on Sept. 26 over the Belmont Park training track where he went four furlongs in :47.40, the fastest of 51 works at the distance.
Napoleon Solo is by Liam’s Map and earned $44,000 in his lone start.
Joel Rosario will ride from post eight.
Others entered are Stradale with Manny Franco named to ride, Universe and jockey Christopher Elliott, Samuel Marin has the call on Aye Aye, Just Asap will have Florent Geroux up, Stickupwithoutagun will carry Luis Rivera Jr. and Kendrick Carmouche will guide Talkin.
Return to the October 2 issue of Wire to Wire
