McLaughlin targets Champagne, BC Juvenile with Endorsed

ELMONT, N.Y. – Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is in a very enviable position when it comes to his 2-year-olds.

On Sunday, Enliven, a 2-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper and a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Enticed, won her maiden going 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park to set her up for a fall campaign that could include the Tempted and Demoiselle stakes at Aqueduct.

This Saturday, McLaughlin will send out the debut winner Endorsed in the Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne Stakes as he tries to qualify for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Endorsed worked a solid half-mile in 48.53 seconds Sunday morning in company with the comebacking 3-year-old maiden First Warrior.

“Everything’s going well,” McLaughlin said. “He only had one race so it’s a big step, but it’s a very important race. It’s a one-turn mile, so there are not any bad post positions. Looks like the weather’s great, so that shouldn’t be a factor. We’re excited, not overconfident that we’re going to win. It’s a tough race and a big step up, but we’re happy to enter up and be in the race.”

Entries for the Champagne are taken Wednesday. As of Monday, a field of 10 was expected, including Achilles Warrior, Aurelius Maximus, Call Paul, Casa Creed, Code of Honor, Complexity, Listing, Sir Truebadour, and Trophy Chaser.

As for Enliven, she had finished fourth in her debut as the 4-5 favoring sprinting at Saratoga. On Sunday, stretching out in distance, she stalked a moderate pace and finished well to beat Off Topic by 1 1/4 lengths.

“She ran very well,” McLaughlin said. “She obviously wanted the distance. Very classy acting filly that we’ll probably look at the Tempted with on Nov. 2.”

Enliven earned a 74 Beyer Speed Figure for her maiden win.

McLaughlin said that Enliven’s 3-year-old half-brother, Enticed, winner of the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct in March, has recently resumed training after a break and should be in Florida after Nov. 1.