County Final makes Tyro Stakes first win with Asmussen

County Final began paying back his hefty purchase price from last month with the first stakes win of his young career Saturday, when he took a 4 1/4-length victory in the off-the-turf $75,000 Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park.

County Final ($2.80) made the first two starts of his career at Churchill Downs with trainer John Ennis, who also co-owned the colt. After a four-length debut win on the Churchill Downs turf, he finished second in the Grade 3 Bashford Manor Stakes on the Churchill dirt behind Cazadero, trained by Steve Asmussen.

County Final subsequently sold for $475,000 to lead the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky selected horses of racing age sale on July 13. On Saturday, he carried the colors of West Point Thoroughbreds for the first time, as that outfit now campaigns him in partnership with William Sandbrook and Anna Marie Shannon.

The new owners have placed County Final with Asmussen, and the colt continued an outstanding summer for the trainer with his juveniles. On Friday, Asmussen saddled Jackie's Warrior to win the Grade 2 Saratoga Special - upsetting stablemate Cazadero, who finished fifth.

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The filly Spicy Marg made her debut against a scratch-depleted field of colts in the Tyro, and was away from the gate swiftly from the rail position to set the pace, leading by about 1 1/2 lengths through an opening quarter-mile in 22.20 seconds. County Final, unhurried away from the gate by Joe Bravo, steadily reeled in Spicy Marg around the far turn, and was at the filly's hip approaching the quarter pole. Spicy Marg greenly drifted wide into the lane, forcing Bravo to wait to give County Final his cue. Once sraightened away, the colt handily put away the leader and drew clear to the wire. He stopped the clock in 58.16 seconds for five furlongs on the track officially rated good.

After Spicy Marg, it was two lengths back to Newyearsblockparty in third, with Beau Bridge, who drew in as a main-track-only entrant, rounding out the order of finish. The race had originally drawn eight entries.