Big Blue Kitten fires off long layoff in Lure

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Questions surrounded several contenders in a competitive edition of the $100,000 Lure Stakes at Saratoga - most notably favorite Big Blue Kitten, who was returning from a long layoff. Class proved out, as the multiple Grade 1 winner forged his way to the lead in the final strides for the score in his first start since finishing eighth in the Breeders' Cup Turf on Nov. 2.

Big Blue Kitten ($5.40) sat eighth of nine early as Plainview took the field through honest fractions, tracked by Bio Pro and Legendary. Big Blue Kitten began making up ground on the inside approaching the quarter pole and appeared full of run in upper stretch before jockey Joe Bravo altered course to the outside near the sixteenth pole. The favorite caught the front-runners with a few strides to spare, stopping the clock in 1:41.09 for 1 1/16 miles on the inner turf, rated firm.

"I wasn't quite sure we had him fit enough off the layoff," trainer Chad Brown said. "[This race] looked like a good spot to get him started. I told [jockey Joe Bravo] that if he won, it would be terrific, but as long as he finished well, we had some big plans for this horse later on in the year. And lo and behold, he got through and he won anyway on heart. Great horse, great ride."

Bio Pro held second by three-quarters of a length. It was another three-quarters of a length back to Plainview and Legendary, in a dead heat for third.

Big Blue Kitten emerged as a divisional standout in the latter half of 2013, earning back-to-back Grade 1 victories in the United Nations Stakes at Monmouth and the Sword Dancer Invitational at Saratoga, where he is unbeaten. He was second by a nose to Little Mike in the Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park before failing to fire in the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita.

Brown said he doubts he will wheel Big Blue Kitten back for a defense in the Sword Dancer in Aug. 17.

"Just wanted to get a race in him, and thought this race made some sense," Brown said. "[I wanted to] see how he ran and evaluate him, and now we're in the evaluating stage."