Slumber finally breaks through in Manhattan

ELMONT, NY – Two year-plus layoffs, a 10-race losing streak dating to August 2013, a sale at auction last fall, Juddmonte Farms finally deciding to part with a once-promising grass horse, and finally, a very late-in-life equipment change, blinkers on, midway through his 7-year-old season. Slumber was a most unlikely first-time Grade 1 winner, but his victory Saturday at Belmont in the $1 million Manhattan Stakes was as decisive as it was unexpected.

Getting an ideal trip under Irad Ortiz Jr., Slumber took control of the Manhattan with about six powerful strides in midstretch, blowing by Legendary and War Dancer and going on to a 2 3/4-length victory over his stablemate Big Blue Kitten, whose chances got compromised by a late-rallying trip behind a slow pace.

And Chad Brown – how about Chad Brown? The trainer swept the top two positions in the million-dollar race, winning with a horse who paid $30.20 after Brown raced him in blinkers for the first time Saturday.

“We finally put some small blinkers on the horse,” Brown said. “I’ve been tinkering with, it but every time I ran him, he ran a good [speed figure], and I was afraid to make too many changes. But after his last start at Churchill ,when he was wide and didn’t get the best trip and ran even again, I said now’s the time to try it … It’s a good example of how even in an older-age horse, I can continue to learn things about him.”

Slumber, saving ground, raced eighth and seventh in the early and middle going as War Dancer, tracked by Legendary, set slow splits of 24.97 seconds, 50.34, and 1:14.52. Legendary made a sustained, solid bid from the five-sixteenths pole to overtake War Dancer, but Ortiz had tipped Slumber out for room, just getting through inside Magic Artist, and after straightening up before the furlong grounds, he did the thing he’s failed to do in so many teasing performances over the last couple of years – put this race to bed. Slumber cruised to the front and was gone, stopping the timer in 2:01.23 for 1 1/4 miles on a firm turf.

Big Blue Kitten ran well in defeat. Away sluggishly, he was too far behind the dawdling tempo, and his wide rally had no chance to get to the winner. “Wish I could have gotten a little clearer a little earlier. He’s an awesome horse, and he come running,” said jockey Joe Bravo.

Legendary held well in his best race this year to finish third, a head behind Big Blue Kitten and a neck in front of Finnegans Wake, who rallied through traffic in another solid performance. Magic Artist was fifth, followed by War Dancer, Twilight Eclipse, Hyper, Jack Milton, Biz The Nurse, and General a Rod.

Slumber, by Cacique, is owned by Michael Dubb, Sheep Pond Partners, and Bethlehem Stables. He was purchased at auction last November for $200,000. His win Saturday was his fifth in 21 starts. Slumber began his career in England before being imported to the U.S. in 2011. He had year-plus layoffs in 2011 and 2012 before returning to a steady racing schedule in 2013.