Make It Big remains unbeaten with Springboard Mile triumph
The unbeaten Make It Big picked up 10 Kentucky Derby points on Friday night when he battled Osbourne for a half-length win in the $400,000 Springboard Mile at Remington Park.
It was the third career victory for Make It Big – and the third stakes win on the card for his rider, Jose Ortiz.
The Springboard Mile closed out the meet. It was showcased on a card of five stakes worth a cumulative $740,000, with Ortiz also taking the $100,000 She’s All In with Casual and the $100,000 Trapeze for 2-year-old fillies with Optionality.
The Springboard Mile offered Kentucky Derby points to the first four finishers on a sliding scale of 10-4-2-1, but only winner Make It Big and runner-up Osbourne were eligible to collect as both horses, according to the race chart, raced Lasix-free on Friday. Osbourne, who earned four points, was three lengths clear of third-place finisher Concept. It was another five lengths back in fourth to Classic Moment. The remaining points were forfeited, according to policies in place by Churchill Downs.
Make It Big ($4.60) was making his two-turn debut in the Springboard Mile, invading from Gulfstream Park off a win in the Ocala Stud Juvenile Sprint. The Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee was content to settle just off the pace, as Classic Moment took the field through an opening quarter in 24.72 seconds. Bye Bye Bobby took the lead through a half-mile in 49.22, before Osbourne took over through six furlongs in 1:14.94. Make It Big advanced four wide on the final turn, pushed past Osbourne nearing the wire, and covered the distance on a fast track in 1:41.23.
“I think he’s a nice, promising 2-year-old,” Ortiz said in a post-race interview broadcast by Remington. “He will get better.”
Edgard Zayas had ridden Make It Big in his first two starts, but Ortiz was up Friday as Zayas had shoulder surgery.
Make It Big won his career debut by 8 1/2 lengths in an Oct. 9 maiden special weight for Florida-breds at Gulfstream. The race was run over seven furlongs and he won at the same distance one start later, in the Ocala Stud Juvenile on Oct. 30.
Make It Big is a son of Neolithic who races for Red Oak Stable. He earned $240,000 for his win in the Springboard Mile to push his career record to 3 for 3 for earnings of $303,828.
Stakes double for Asmussen
The other stakes victories Ortiz had Friday night both came for trainer Steve Asmussen.
Optionality ($6.20) won her third straight race when she drew out by 8 1/4 lengths in the Trapeze. She tracked Hits Pricey Legacy through fractions of 23.91 seconds for the opening quarter and 48.49 for the half-mile, before taking over through six furlongs in 1:13.87. From there, Optionality increased her advantage to the wire, while covering the mile in 1:41.10.
“She’s a very versatile, talented filly,” Asmussen said in a post-race interview broadcast by Remington. “We’re proud to have another Gun Runner doing so well.”
Asmussen trained Horse of the Year Gun Runner for a partnership that included Winchell Thoroughbreds, the breeder and owner of Optionality.
Optionality began her streak in her fourth start, winning a maiden special weight at Indiana Grand. She then captured the Zia Park Princess over six furlongs Nov. 23 before stretching out around two turns for the first time in the Trapeze.
Casual ($6.80) also was stretching out from a Zia Park sprint stakes to two turns Friday night, and won the She’s All In by 5 1/4 lengths over Marion Francis. It was the first stakes win for Casual, who is out of the multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Lady Tak.
Casual tracked the pace before moving to the fore and covering the one mile, 70 yards for fillies and mares in 1:43.96. The daughter of Curlin races for the partnership of Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings, Stretch Run Ventures and Windsor Boys Racing.
She’s All Wolfe, a daughter of She’s All In, finished fourth in the race named for her millionaire dam Friday.
*** Sunday Flashback ($2.80) won her fifth straight race when she beat Run Slewy Run to the wire by a length in the $70,000 Useeit for 3-year-old fillies bred in Oklahoma. The winner covered a mile in 1:40.90. Jose Alvarez was aboard for C.R. Trout, who bred, owns and trains the daughter of Flashback.
*** Number One Dude ($2.80) won the fifth stakes win of his career when he jetted to a seven-length victory over Tap the Dot in the $70,000 Jim Thorpe for 3-year-olds bred in Oklahoma. The winner covered the one-mile distance in 1:40.25. Leandro Goncalves was aboard for trainer Kari Craddock. Number One Dude is a son of American Lion who races for his breeder, Terry Westemeir.