BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Classic of Course, winner of the $158,000 Cutler Bay at Gulfstream Park in his last race, travels to Churchill Downs in pursuit of Grade 1 credentials in the $1 million American Turf presented by Ford. Owned by trainer Patrick Biancone and Amy E. Dunne, the Florida-bred colt will be among a full field of 14 3-year-olds set for the mile-and-a-sixteenth contest on the turf.
The American Turf will be only the second race on grass for the Florida-bred son of Awesome of Course, who has produced a reliable record of finishing in the top three in eight of 10 starts while racing predominantly in stakes on the main track.
After breaking his maiden by six-and-a-half lengths in his first start in May of last year at Gulfstream, Classic of Course finished his 2-year-old season proving his versatility with two seconds and two thirds in six starts—all in stakes from six furlongs to a mile-and-a-sixteenth. He was second to Florida-bred Naughty Rascal in the $95,000 Proud Man going six furlongs in August and second to Florida-bred juggernaut Rated by Merit at a mile-and-a-sixteenth in the $300,000 In Reality division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes on Nov. 30. He was also third in the first two legs of the Florida Sires Stakes, both times behind Rated by Merit and Neoequos in the $100,000 Dr. Fager at six furlongs on Sept. 6 and in the $200,000 Affirmed over seven furlongs on Oct. 19.
Proving his effectiveness on any surface, he was second to Scarecrow in a conditioned allowance race going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on synthetic at Gulfstream in February.
Bred in Florida by Dunne and her husband Ciaran G. Dunne, Classic of Course has racked up $294,653 from two wins with three seconds and three thirds. He is out of the unraced Honor Code mare Alma Mater.
Frankie Dettori, who was aboard in the Cutler Bay, gets the return mount from post 11 and they are a potentially generous 20-1 on the morning line.
New Century (GB) returns to the United States from Great Britain where he was fifth last time in the Group 3 Craven Stakes won by Field of Gold at Newmarket on April 16. Previously when trained by Andrew M. Balding, he was fourth after a rough trip in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf won by Henri Matisse (Ire) at Del Mar on Nov. 1. In one other start in North America, New Century won the Grade 1 Summer Stakes at Woodbine going a mile on the turf at Woodbine on Sept. 14.
New Century has three wins with a second in seven starts with earnings of $323,176. He is by Kameko out of Potent Embrace, by Street Cry (Ire).
Irad Ortiz Jr. has the riding assignment on the 3-1 morning line favorite from post three.
Also in the field are Warlander with Joel Rosario in the saddle, Scipio has Umbero Rispoli named to ride, Mi Bago has Jose Ortiz taking the assignment, Test Score with jockey Manny Franco, Maximum Promise with Brian Hernandez Jr. up, Zulu Kingdom (Ire) will have Flavien Prat in the irons, Luis Saez rides Charlie’s to Blame, Giocoso and jockey Ben Curtis, Iron Man Cal will be ridden by Antonio Fresu, Mike Smith is named on Golden Afternoon, Maui Strong and rider Vincent Cheminaud and Junior Alvarado will guide Megalodon. Hammerhead, Spirit Rags, A.P. Kid and Discreet Dancer on on the also-eligible list.
Return to the May 2 issue of Wire to Wire
