BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Trainer Edward Barker will send Florida-bred Final Verdict to Churchill Downs for the $150,000 Tom Metzen Memorial Canterbury, one of eight Claiming Crown races with starter allowance conditions worth $1.1 million Saturday. This will be the 27th running of the Claiming Crown, regarded as the Breeders’ Cup for claiming horse owners.
Final Verdict and fellow Sunshine State-breds Speed Figures and Fluid Situation are among 16 3-year-olds and older entered to go five-and-a-half on the turf including four on the also-eligible list.
Dependable throughout his three-year career, finishing in the top three in 17 of 22 starts, Final Verdict exits a third-place finish against upper tier, $75,000 optional claimers going a mile on the turf during the Belmont at Big A meet in his last race on Sept. 27.
Although his last win came in September of 2024 against allowance horses going six furlongs on the grass during the Belmont at Big A meet, he has several good races this year while finishing third three other times, all against second condition, $75,000 optional claimers in New York. He started the year third when just a neck shy of winner Felix going six furlongs on the grass during the Belmont at Big A meet on May 4, earning a 92 Beyer Speed Figure. His next three races came at five-and-a-half furlongs over the Saratoga Race Course turf, first finishing fourth on June 6 with an 88 Beyer, then third, a neck short of winner Twisted Filagree on July 5 with an 89 Beyer and third behind winner Run Curtis Run while producing an 86 Beyer on Aug. 2.
Final Verdict is by Finale out of Premier Roma, by Burning Roma and was bred in Florida by Harold L. Queen. Currently owned by Patrick J. Mogauro and James Mogauro, the 5-year-old gelding has five wins, two seconds and 10 thirds while earning $243,570.
Final Verdict has been tabbed as the 9-2 third choice on the morning line and will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post five.
Kenwood Racing LLC and trainer Kelly Breen’s Speed Figures tries to break a streak of two consecutive second-place finishes after winning two straight, all while sprinting five-and-a-half furlongs on the turf.
Breen claimed Speed Figures for $22,000 out of a two-length score at Monmouth on July 27 then promptly won a $25,000 starter, $40,000 optional claiming over the same course on Aug. 10. He was then second to next out Joey P. stakes-winner Gold Trust in a second condition, $40,000 optional claiming at Monmouth on Aug. 23 before coming in second to Tidewater under the same conditions at Laurel Park in his last race on Sept. 28.
Speed Figures is by Souper Speedy out of the Candy Ride (Arg) mare Sweet Fortune and was bred in Florida by Live Oak Stud. The 4-year-old gelding has won five with three seconds in 14 lifetime outs while banking $188,215. He has won three with two seconds in six starts at five-and-a-half furlongs distance on the grass.
He has drawn post one and is 6-1 on the morning line. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount.
Florida-breds bookend the field with Fluid Situation drawing the outside stall no. 12.
Fluid Situation make his third start for trainer Kevin Rice after two races going six furlongs on the synthetic at Presque Isle Downs. He won a $25,000 claiming on Sept. 29 and finished second to Florida-bred Toddchero in a upper tier, $40,000 optional claiming on Oct. 15.
Owned by Bella Mia Stables LLC, Fluid Situation has won six with a second and nine thirds in 29 starts while being the richest of the three Florida-breds at $348,124 in earnings.
Fluid Situation is by Warrior’s Reward out of the Elusive Quality mare Volatile Vickie and was bred in Florida by Hidden Point Farm Inc.
The 6-year-old gelding is 20-1 in the program and will be ridden by Jaime Torres.
Rounding out the field are Spoke and jockey Marcelino Pedroza Jr., Sosua Summer has Luis Saez named to ride, Abel Cedillo has the call on Frosty View, Shape Note with Jose Ortiz up, Chiseler has Chris Emigh named to ride, Axel Concepcion will be in the saddle on Pinfire, Chiringo will carry Emmanuel Esquivel, Visanity has Luan Machado taking the assignment, and Bad Beat Brian with Erik Asmussen aboard. High Front, All Jokes Aside, Chromed Impulse and Mr. Melo are on the also-eligible list.
Return to the November 14 issue of Wire to Wire
