Modernist shrugs off sluggish start, wins Excelsior

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - When Modernist won his maiden at Aqueduct in January 2020, he ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:54.24, which is probably why he was sent off a 12-1 shot in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds, a race he also won.

On Saturday, Modernist ran 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct in 1:54.38, yet it was good enough to win the Grade 3, $150,000 Excelsior Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths.

Haikal, the 2019 Gotham Stakes winner, finished second, 3 3/4 lengths in front of Limonite. Backsideofthemoon was fourth, followed by Grumps Little Tots and Tinotoretto.

Mr. Buff, the 4-5 morning-line favorite, was scratched after showing signs of colic Saturday morning. The gelding responded to treatment and was fine later in the morning, but trainer John Kimmel was extremely disappointed he couldn’t run.

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Kimmel had to be even more upset after he saw the early fractions of the Excelsior, which saw Backsideofthemoon and Modernist spar through a half-mile in 25.54 seconds, a half-mile in 52.08.

Around the far turn, Modernist drew even with Backsideofthemoon and they went into the stretch on even terms. Modernist began to edge away from Backsideofthemoon at the three-sixteenths pole and Haikal was on the move after getting shuffled back to last and having to rally wide on the turn.

Modernist didn’t switch leads until the sixteenth pole, and that’s when he drew clear.

Modernist, a son of Uncle Mo owned by Martin and Pam Wygod and trained by Bill Mott, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:54.38 and returned $5.30 as the favorite. Modernist was given a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

Modernist was actually last out of the gate but, thanks to the slow pace, he was right there.

“I knew whatever happened in the gate I had to be a little more aggressive and be more forwardly placed,” jockey Junior Alvarado said. “Even though we had a slow break I had to use him a little bit to put myself in that position and I think that helped.”