Stolen Base breaks through with game victory in American Turf
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LOUISVILLE, KY. - Trainer Mike Maker had been waiting for a race where he didn’t have to make an excuse for Stolen Base.
“Yeah, for about the last six races,” Maker said.
Saturday, no excuses were needed as Stolen Base, under Flavien Prat, turned aside a bold bid from Balnikhov to win the Grade 2, $500,000 American Turf at Churchill Downs by 1 1/4 lengths. Balnikhov, who made a brief lead in midstretch, finished a length in front of favored Sy Dog, who suffered his first defeat from four starts.
The win was the first for Stolen Base since he won a maiden dirt race at Saratoga last July 23. Stolen Base had three runner-up finishes and a third since then.
Maker said Stolen Base got away poorly in his third-place finish in the Texas Turf Mile. In the Battaglia Memorial, when he was beaten a neck by Tiz the Bomb, Maker said Stolen Base got stuck inside.
In the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway on April 2, Stolen Base emerged from his seventh-place finish with a minor illness.
“It was a throwout and I was expecting a big effort today,” Maker said.
Prat said he expected to be farther back early on Stolen Base in the American Turf, but the horse broke well and put him into the race. Going into the first turn, Stolen Base bobbled, perhaps clipping heels of a horse in front of him, but he quickly recovered and was fifth, about five lengths off the modest pace established by Dowagiac Chief.
Around the far turn, Prat made a four-wide move, which was quickly followed by a five-wide bid from Balnikhov and Manny Franco, who got away last and trailed early on.
Balknikhov came to Stolen Base in midstretch, but Stolen Base turned him aside.
Stolen Base, a son of Bodemeister, covered the 1 1/16 miles over a turf course labeled firm in 1:44.57 and returned $13.20. He was assigned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90.
“Down the backside I was traveling well,” said Prat, who was winning his third race on the card. “When I tipped him out, he really made a good run. [Balnikhov] took the lead on me, but my horse regrouped well and fought back.”
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Balnikhov broke slowly for the second straight race. Franco saved ground on him early on, tipped him outside down the backside, and Balnikhov made a big move from the three-furlong pole to midstretch before being turned back by Stolen Base.
“That horse rebroke,” Franco said. “My horse never stopped running.”
Maker, who trains Stolen Base for Kirk Wycoff’s Three Diamonds Farm, said the horse would be pointed to the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Derby on July 9. There is the Grade 2, $200,000 Pennine Ridge on June 4 should he want a race before then.