Distance no problem for Fearless in Brooklyn Stakes
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Todd Pletcher’s confidence in Fearless’s ability to stay a mile and one-half was validated Saturday at Belmont Park when he rallied to a 2 3/4-length decision over Warrant in the $400,000 Brooklyn. Long-distance specialist Lone Rock finished a tiring third as the 7-5 favorite.
Fearless had won three graded stakes from a mile to 1 1/8 miles, and his longest previous outing resulted in a third-place finish in the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special 13 months earlier. He was second as the 6-5 favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap in his previous start.
In the Brooklyn, Fearless raced within easy striking distance of the leaders while wide under Luis Saez. Fearless was set down midway on the final turn, stuck his head in front of stablemate First Constitution and Lone Rock while widest of the trio into the stretch, and edged well clear.
Warrant, who bobbled at the start, rallied willingly down the center of the course to best Lone Rock by a neck to finish second. Lone Rock also bobbled at the start, was angled out from behind First Constitution into the first turn, dueled for command between Fearless and First Constitution into the stretch, and weakened gradually through the final furlong.
Completing the order of finish were Portos, a tiring First Constitution, Max Player, and Locally Owned.
A 6-year-old son of Ghostzapper owned by Mike Repole, Fearless completed the distance in 2:30.45 over a fast track and paid $9.30. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 95.
“We anticipated he’d handle the distance,” Pletcher said. “Of course you never know until they actually do it. But he always gave us the impression that he would keep grinding it out.”
Pletcher said he had some concern when Fearless, who broke from the outside in post 7, was forced to race wide over a track that had yielded wire-to-wire rail-skimming winners in the three earlier dirt races on the program.
“The track appears to be inside-speed favoring, but they’d only run three dirt races, all around one turn, so you don’t want to get ahead of yourself,” Pletcher said. “We drew post 7 and we wanted to be in good tactical position, so we sacrificed some ground to do so.”
Pletcher said he believes Fearless is versatile enough to perhaps back up to 1 1/4 miles for the Grade 2 Suburban here on July 9.