Crupi shows improved form in winning Queens County Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Crupi's connections thought enough of the 3-year-old to twice run him in stakes as a maiden this spring. The horse wasn’t mentally up to the challenge.

But Crupi appears to be a different animal late in his 3-year-old season. On Sunday he showed the ability to overcome an adverse trip and still prevail, finishing best of all to win the $150,000 Queens County Stakes by a neck over longshot Quality Chic at Aqueduct. It was a nose back to Kinetic Sky, who was a neck in front of Signator, the even-money favorite.

The win was the third in four starts and second straight stakes triumph for Crupi since being freshened following a ninth-place finish in the Wood Memorial in April. Last month, he won the Discovery Stakes for 3-year-olds, also at 1 1/8 miles.

Amelia Green, the New York-based assistant to Crupi’s trainer Todd Pletcher, said maturity is the key to the colt’s turnaround.

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“He’s really matured mentally,” Green said. “As a 2-year-old, he was so immature. Even as a 3-year-old, still; finally he’s maturing turning 4.”

In what looks to be an older male dirt division lacking depth in 2024, Crupi could be a welcome addition. Via text, part-owner Mike Repole indicated Crupi would target the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream on Jan. 27.

In the Queens County, things got pretty tight on Crupi and jockey Kendrick Carmouche entering the first turn. Pressure from Quality Chic, under Manny Franco, forced King Kumbalay to come in some on Crupi, who threw his head to the left and appeared to hit Dylan Davis, the rider of Constitutionlawyer to his inside.

Carmouche took a hold of Crupi and he was sixth entering the first turn. Down the backside, Carmouche kept Crupi within four lengths of the leaders, about four lengths off the pace and four wide. Lost Ark, under Trevor McCarthy, set fractions of 24.15 seconds for the quarter, 48.59 and 1:13.04 for six furlongs while being pressed by Kinetic Sky.

Entering the far turn, Crupi began to advance toward the leaders but had to go four wide at the quarter pole. Kinetic Sky had the lead turning for home and, when Lost Ark dropped back, a three-wide Quality Chic, under Manny Franco, moved toward him.

Meanwhile, a four-wide Crupi seemed to be running evenly, until Signator, under Javier Castellano, came to his outside in upper stretch. Crupi was emboldened and was able to surge past Quality Chic and Kinetic Sky while outfinishing Signator.

“We got in a little jam because I was wanting to be forward and Manny was making it tight on everybody,” Carmouche said. “I had to squeeze back and let everything develop again. But then, after that he got back underneath me. Crupi won the race. That last eighth of a mile, he just took the bit out of my hand and accelerated the last sixteenth.”

Crupi covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.33 and returned $14.80 to win.

Crupi is a son of Curlin named after J.J. Crupi, a horseman who played an instrumental role in developing horses for Pletcher, including his 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and his 2018 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Vino Rosso. In addition to Repole, Crupi is owned by Vinnie and Teresa Viola’s St. Elias Stable.

Signator, who returned to New York where he had won two straight allowance races, again broke slowly in his races and couldn’t overcome his wide trip.

“He made that move, he finished, but when he got to those horses they didn’t stop,” Castellano said.

Signator finished 3 1/2 lengths clear of King Kumbalay, who was followed by Constitutionlayer, Lost Ark and Forwarned.

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