Hard Study kicks away in Flat Out Stakes

Big Brown had his Triple Crown bid halted 10 years ago in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes, but his son Hard Study has no problem with marathon distances and easily won the $100,000 Flat Out Stakes going 1 3/8 miles at Belmont on Friday.

As a matter of fact, the longer, the better seems a good rule of thumb for Hard Study, who was bred and is owned by Paul Pompa Jr. Hard Study completed his 2017 campaign with a win the 1 3/4-mile Birdstone at Saratoga last summer.

Pompa purchased Big Brown as a 2-year-old for $190,000 at Keeneland and then sold varying shares of him as Big Brown went on a ferocious win streak at 3.

Big Brown won the Florida Derby, Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Haskell Invitational, and the $500,000 Monmouth Stakes over older horses on turf that season. His lone career loss came in the Belmont, when he packed it in at 3-10 after seven furlongs and was distanced.

Hard Study was given time off after his 2 1/2-length Birdstone victory and is now 2 for 2 at 5. He tuned up for the Flat Out with a 1 1/8-mile optional-claiming victory at Gulfstream Park.

Harlan Punch forged to the lead around the first turn of the Flat Out while being tracked by Turco Bravo. Backsideofthemoon and Zanotti raced a little farther back, while Hard Study was reserved in fifth position by Manny Franco.

Turco Bravo moved up to challenge Harlan Punch nearing the far turn and the pair was joined from the outside by Zanotti on the turn. When Turco Bravo began to drop back, Franco split Zanotti and Harlan Punch nearing the stretch and quickly took control.

Hard Study pulled away to win by 5 1/2 lengths and galloped out far in front of the field. Zanotti held second by 1 1/2 lengths over Backsideofthemoon.

"This is the kind of distance he wants to go," Franco said. "More distance is better for him."

Hard Study paid $3.30 in the seven-horse field. He was timed in 2:17.02.

The win was the third of the day for Pletcher and the fourth for Franco. Pletcher and Franco teamed to win races 1 and 3 together. Franco also won race 4 for Rudy Rodriguez.

The next stakes on the New York circuit for marathon runners on the main track is the Grade 2, $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational, a 1 1/2-mile race on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 9. A win by Hard Study would provide a measure of redemption for his sire.