Final Score stands tall with Bourbon Stakes victory
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LEXINGTON, Ky. – When Sophie Green, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher, went to saddle the 2-year-old colt Final Score for the Bourbon Stakes on Sunday at Keeneland, she looked right over his back.
“And I’m not tall,” Green said.
The little horse is a big talent. Narrowly defeated in his debut, which, as a dirt sprint, was neither on the right surface or at the right distance, Final Score cruised to an easy turf-route maiden win second time out at Saratoga, scored an impressive front-running victory in the Grade 3 With Anticipation there, and won flashily again in the Bourbon.
Making the lead before the first turn under Irad Ortiz, Final Score went to the half-mile at a lively clip, posting a 47.69-second split with Casa Cielo applying serious pressure to the outside. Final Score disposed of Casa Cielo, who would finish last of 12, gave Ortiz everything he asked for, and sprinted home a 1 1/4-length winner over Turf Star in the Grade 2, $400,000 Bourbon.
Part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series, the Bourbon is a qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, and Final Score is going to Del Mar a live contender with a low profile.
“He’s such an unassuming horse,” Green said. “He’s so small, so laid back in the morning.”
After winning the With Anticipation at 9-1, Final Score went off the heavy 7-5 favorite in the Bourbon, paying $4.82 to win.
Turf Star, exiting a Kentucky Downs maiden win, might also have booked a trip to Del Mar. Sitting in the pocket, he came up the rail in the homestretch after Final Score had opened up, then had to switch outside at the eighth pole as Final Score edged back down to the fence.
“I just kind of had to wait longer than I’d have liked to,” jockey Tyler Gaffalione said. “He made a really good run, and he’s still learning.”
Gordon Pass, a 50-1 shot, roared home from 12th to nab third, a head in front of Dr. Agne. His trainer, Will Walden, said the Breeders’ Cup would be an option if Gordon Pass can get into a race that always attracts far more potential entrants than there are starting slots.
While Final Score had won his last two setting the pace, Ortiz said he didn’t expect to lead on Sunday.
“I never thought he’d be on the lead today. I thought he’d be stalking. But he broke so good, I just look around, I didn’t see anybody, and I said, well, I got the green light from the boss, and I just go with the flow,” Ortiz said.
And even with a horse lapped on his flank, the little fellow never turned a hair.
“He was on the pace, but he was relaxed and calm, and even if I go a little faster. I’m fine. At the half-mile, when he changed leads, he opened up half a length, so I know I have horse and I know he’s going to finish. I trust the horse, so I waited as long as I can,” Ortiz said.
Final Score is by Not This Time, who probably seems to be the sire of every stakes winner in America over the last month. He’s out of the Bernardini mare Precious Music, was bred by BG Stables, and Repole bought him as a Saratoga yearling for $600,000. The colt might not have grown much yet, but as of Sunday, he can look down on the rest of the North American 2-year-old turf-route division.
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