Greatbullsoffire handles surface switch in Show Your Colors
Greatbullsoffire, who won his career debut sprinting on turf but showed a string of fast works on dirt, handled the switch to the main track to easily win Thursday’s $50,000 Show Your Colors Stakes for 2-year-olds at Delaware Park.
Based at Laurel Park with trainer Hamilton Smith, Greatbullsoffire registered a half-mile bullet from the gate and two five-furlong bullets on dirt between June 22 and July 6. He ran his first career race on July 17, wiring three opponents in a 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint and prevailing by a neck.
In the 5 1/2-furlong Show Your Colors, jockey Victor Carrasco put Greatbullsoffire ($6) just off the pace set by Howboutthemcowboys through fractions of 21.91 and 46.29 seconds. Greatbullsoffire took the lead from the tiring pacesetter leaving the turn, repelled a mild challenge from the maiden second-time starter Brahams Secret, and drew clear to win by 2 1/2 lengths. The winning time was 1:04.55.
Brahams Secret, who lost his rider when dueling for the lead in the late stages of a five-furlong turf sprint in his career debut finished a clear second. Prince of Kentucky, coming off a maiden win for a $20,000 tag, finished third, 4 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up.
Greatbullsoffire, a Maryland-bred son of Bullsbay, is owned by Kathleen Willier.