Marconi wires Brooklyn Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – One-and-one-half miles is a vast distance for American Thoroughbreds to race, yet it barely was enough to separate six horses in the Brooklyn Stakes on Saturday evening at Belmont Park.

A long race at the end of a long Belmont Stakes day saw the horse leading into the first turn, Marconi, still a half-length in front at the finish, five pursuers nipping at his heels. Rocketry surged late to finish second, a head in front of Realm, who was a neck in front of Campaign. You’re To Blame was a nose farther back in fifth, Sonneteer a nose behind him.

The gap back to seventh-place Biblical was 14 lengths, and War Story, who won this race in 2017 and was second last year, basically was eased across the line.

Just before the start, Forewarned was scratched by NYRA stewards on the advice of the track veterinarian.

The Brooklyn is a Grade 2 worth $400,000 and it was an important win for Marconi, whom Todd Pletcher trains for Bridledwood Farm, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith, and Michael Tabor. Marconi is by Tapit out of Ponche de Leona, by Ponche, the dam of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man. Marconi’s owners shelled out $2 million to acquire him at the Keeneland September yearling sale of 2016, and this was Marconi’s first graded stakes win.

He got it by leading nearly all the way under Jose Lezcano, who mildly hustled Marconi to the front from post 1 after Realm and You’re To Blame outbroke him. The first quarter went in 25.16 seconds, 1.24 seconds slower than the same split two races earlier in the Belmont Stakes, the half in 50.87, and three-quarters n 1:16.17. Still full of life, Marconi picked up the tempo, going his fourth quarter mile in 24.28 seconds and his fifth in 23.72. That section of the race, easily it’s quickest, took a little starch out of Realm and You’re To Blame, but Marconi plugged along gamely, managing a final quarter in 24.81 for a 2:28.97 final time and the best win of his nine-race career.

Rocketry came home fastest but too late under Joel Rosario, still glowing from his Belmont Stakes win on Sir Winston, while fourth-place Campaign had too much to do at the top of the homestretch and, for most of the last 1 1/2 furlongs, no room in which to do it.

As for Marconi, who paid $10.40 to win, he has come around nicely this year for Pletcher, who said connections bid to get Marconi onto the Triple Crown trail in 2018 but found a horse who still needed to grow and learn. He has done both this season, winning his third straight race Saturday. Pletcher said Marconi’s advance has come from a combination of maturity and racing at longer distances, but also a greater willingness to train willingly each day and maximize his talent.

Pletcher said Marconi might make his next start in the Grade 2, $700,000 Suburban Stakes on July 6. That’s a 1 1/4-mile race, but after a taking a long time to get to this point in his career, maybe Marconi doesn’t need the longest races to advance it.