BY BROCK SHERIDAN
St Elias Stable homebred Rated by Merit tries to join an elite list of 10 others before him who have swept the male division of prestigious FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes when the Florida-bred colt puts his undefeated record on the line Saturday in the $300,000 In Reality.
Among those Florida-bred colts who have won the six-furlong Dr. Fager, the Affirmed at seven furlongs and the mile-and-a-sixteenth In Reality are Smile (1984), Naked Greed (1991), Seacliff (1995), Express Tour (2000), Sir Oscar (2003), Big Drama (2008), Jackson Bend (2009), Fort Loudon (2011), Three Rules (2016) and Awesome Strong (2022).
Smile, Express Tour, Big Drama, Jackson Bend retired multiple graded stakes-winning millionaires while Smile and Big Drama were honored as Eclipse Award Champion Sprinters in 1986 and 2010 respectively after winning the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint that year.
An exclusive club indeed.
“It would be an honor, really. To me, it would be a wonderful accomplishment, not just for myself, but for my whole team, the horse and the owners,” trainer Michael Yates said. “I think it’s a special thing.”
However, elite company is nothing new to Rated by Merit. His 99 Beyer Speed Figure achieved in winning this $200,000 Affirmed on Oct. 19, ranks as the top such number among all North American 2-year-olds this year. The 93 Beyer number he produced when winning the $100,000 Dr. Fager on Sept. 7 is tied with two other juveniles to rank seventh and the 92 Beyer assigned to his maiden victory in July—which was tops at the time—still ranks in the top 10 among North American 2-year-olds in 2024.
“It’s not just a one-hit wonder where he ran one huge number. There’s been consistency to it,” Yates said. “You can put some stock in it for sure.”
In addition to the speed figure exploits, Rated by Merit has won his three career races by a combined 19 ¾ lengths.
The only unanswered question for Rated by Merit thus far is distance and if he can carry his talent the mile-and-an-eighth distance of the In Reality.
“I have a lot of confidence that that won’t be an issue for him,” Yates said last week following his five-furlong breeze in :59.50 at Gulfstream Park. “He did very well, working in 59-and-change. I’m very pleased with his work.”
By Battalion Runner out of Banner Waving, by Speightstown, Rated by Merit has earned $220,000 in his three starts.
Jesus Rios, who has been aboard Rated by Merit for all three previous races, gets the return mount and they have drawn the inside post one.
Neoequos, who was second to Rated by Merit in both the Dr. Fager and Affirmed, will be scratched.
“He’s not going to run. He got a cut and it got infected,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said.
Lawson Racing Stables’ Roar of the Beast, who finished second in a maiden special weight race last Saturday in his second career start, will represent Joseph in the In Reality.
Micah Husbands has been named on the son of The Big Beast.
Amy Dunne and trainer Patrick Biancone’s Classic of Course is certainly the most stakes-experienced colt in the In Reality field, having made five consecutive stakes appearances following a six-and-a-half-furlong maiden special weight victory in his May 3 debut. The son of Awesome of Course is winless since his debut, but he has been competitive in open company. The Biancone trainee finished fourth in the Tremont at Aqueduct in his second career start before coming up just a neck short of victory in the Proud Man at Gulfstream.
Classic of Course, who was rated third on the morning line at 8-1, has finished a distant third behind Rated by Merit in the first two legs of the FSS series. Joe Bravo has the return mount Saturday.
Rounding out the field are Just Relax with Emisael Jaramillo aboard, Lou with Miguel Vasquez named to ride, Edgard Zayas will be in the saddle for Latch the Hatch, Emmett has rider Edwin Gonzalez and Oleg will carry Danny Egan.
Return to the November 27 issue of Wire to Wire
Portions of this story were taken directly from a Gulfstream Park press release.
