Annual Report wins Futurity despite adversity

ELMONT, N.Y. – Annual Report got squeezed soon after the start and had to go six wide in the stretch. No problem, not with Joe Bravo in the irons.

Annual Report overcame the adversity to run away from his five rivals in the stretch and win Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Futurity by 1 1/2 lengths at Belmont Park. King Kranz, the 8-5 favorite despite being a maiden, finished second by 4 1/2 lengths over the pacesetting Manhattan Dan. Ready Dancer, Full Salute, and Legend Keeper completed the order of finish.

For Bravo, it was his third graded stakes win of this meet – he won the Grade 1 Champagne and Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic – and his 17th of the year. The latter total is a personal best.

Annual Report, a son of Harlan’s Holiday, was dismissed by the bettors perhaps in part because his high-profile New York connections sent the horse to Parx to win his debut, a 5 1/4-length victory for which he was assigned only a 58 Beyer Speed Figure.

But trainer Kiaran McLaughlin had explained that he and owner Godolphin Racing had another horse, Mohaymen, to run in a maiden race that same day at Belmont Park. Mohaymen won.

Unlike his debut, which he won on the front end, Annual Report came from last after getting squeezed back at the start by King Kranz and Legend Keeper. He was seven lengths behind after Manhattan Dan ran a quarter in 22.24 seconds. Annual Report got pushed out into the No. 4 path down the backside and moved into fifth place approaching the quarter pole.

Six wide but in the clear turning for home, Annual Report ran toward the leaders, lugged in a step on King Kranz before changing leads, and edged clear. Annual Report, a $600,000 purchase as a 2-year-old in training, covered the six furlongs in 1:09.82 and returned $16.80 as the second-longest price on the board.

Bravo said he wanted to put Annual Report into the race early but couldn’t when he got squeezed at the break.

“What makes a good horse is their head,” Bravo said. “He was really settled and quiet after all that, went a good eighth of a mile down the backside breathing and comfortable while they put on a good, honest pace. At the three-eighths pole, when he got into gear, it was a nice feeling. It was an even better feeling at the eighth pole when he switched leads and leveled off.”

McLaughlin was happy to see Annual Report win from off the pace after going to the lead at Parx.

“He took the dirt well and finished strong,” McLaughlin said. “We’ll stretch him out before too long.”

McLaughlin is pointing Mohaymen to the Nashua Stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 4. Mohaymen and/or Annual Report would be considered for the Grade 2, $300,000 Remsen at Aqueduct on Nov. 28 or the Grade 2, $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club the same day at Churchill Downs.