Marconi clearly signals marathon ability in Flat Out

ELMONT, N.Y. – Marconi is starting to shed his image as an underachiever.

A $2 million yearling purchase, Marconi has finally found his niche as a marathon runner, taking Thursday’s $100,000 Flat Out Stakes going 11 furlongs by 2 3/4 lengths at Belmont Park. It was the second straight stakes win for Marconi, who six weeks earlier won the Skip Away Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

“We always felt there was some ability there,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He’s taken some time to put it all together and I think we found what he’s looking to do now.”

Breaking from the outside post in the scratch-reduced field of five, Marconi, under Jose Lezcano, sat second early while Tour de Force, under Kendrick Carmouche, opened up a 6 1/2-length lead running a half-mile in 48.97 seconds and six furlongs in 1:13.37.

Marconi crept closer entering the far turn, collared Tour de Force above the eighth pole, and polished off the race nicely.

Marconi, a son of Tapit owned by Bridlewood Farm and the Coolmore connections of Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor and Susan Magnier, covered the 1 3/8 miles in 2:15.35 and returned $9.70 to win. The Flat Out was originally scheduled for May 3, but postponed when the second half of that card was canceled due to weather.

“I was comfortable the whole way around, let [Tour de Force] go, I let him set his own fractions,” said Lezcano, who won three races on Thursday’s nine-race program. “At the quarter pole, I made him change leads and asked him and really took off.”

Rocketry, the 6-5 favorite, as far back as 14 lengths down the backside under Joel Rosario, got up for second by a nose over Tour de Force. Monongahela finished fourth while Twisted Tom was last of five. G Zap and Forewarned scratched.

Pletcher said Marconi would be pointed to the Grade 2, $400,000 Brooklyn Invitational going 1 1/2 miles here on June 8.