Conquest Big E earns spot in Iselin Stakes

Trainer Donna Hurtak was pleased to report that Conquest Big E came out of his seven-length win in the $50,000 Coast Is Clear Handicap last Sunday in excellent shape and will be pointed to the Grade 3, $100,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes on Aug. 26 at Monmouth Park.

“He’s doing great,” Hurtak said. “He’s very proud of himself right now. When I come to his stall in the mornings, he has his ears pricked and is eager to do something. He’s just full of life.”

Conquest Big E has improved dramatically in his last two starts. After finishing fourth in a $62,500 optional-claiming race in his first start for Hurtak on April 23, he romped in the slop at the same level June 7, winning a one-mile race for 3-year-olds and up by 8 1/2 lengths. He proved his blowout win wasn’t a fluke in the Coast Is Clear. After being hustled to the lead by Jilver Chamafi, he was on cruise control the rest of the way.

:: Christmas in July! Take 20% off PPs, Clocker Reports, and more

Hurtak credits the improved performances with a change in diet and a little mental stimulation.

“I wasn’t sure what was going on with him when he first got here,” she said. “The main problem was he didn’t want to eat. I had his blood tested and did a bunch of other tests to see if he had an eating disorder, but everything came back perfect. I started treating him with herbs and natural products, and he started to come around. I also worked with him mentally, which is hard to explain, but is what I do, and he’s responded to all of it quite well.”

Hurtak was hoping to take the son of Tapit to Saratoga, but was disappointed to find there aren’t any suitable races for him there.

“I love Saratoga,” she said. “It is such a healthy place for horses. The only race I could find for him was the Woodward, though. The timing for the Iselin is perfect, so it’s about 75 percent that he’ll run there.”

Conquest Big E’s future could be bright. Purchased by Conquest Stables for $700,000 out of the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale, he showed a lot of promise early in his career. He finished second to Brody’s Cause in his 2-year-old debut for trainer Mark Casse at Churchill Downs. After winning a maiden special weight race at Keeneland in his second start, he was beat by only 4 1/2 lengths by Nyquist in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland. He had just one win last year as a 3-year-old, though, and was sold to Tommy Roberts after his final start of 2016.

Hurtak seems to have found out what makes him tick.

“Being by Tapit, he could turn out to be a nice one,” she said.

◗ Dream Shot and Campaigner’s Gold look like the main players in a $16,000 conditional-claiming race for 3-year-olds and up going 7 1/2 furlongs on turf, which will serve as the feature race for Friday’s nine-race card.