Two of a Kind shows speed and heart in Tremont victory

ELMONT, N.Y. – Two of a Kind made it two in a row with a sharp score Thursday in the $150,000 Tremont Stakes.

Shipping from Churchill Downs, where he scored a front-running maiden win May 4, Two of a Kind was hustled to the lead by Luis Saez, set fast fractions of 22.40 and 45.48, turned back an upper-stretch challenge from favored No Nay Hudson and stayed on resolutely to post a three-length victory. He paid $6.50 to win and was timed in 1:04.35 for 5 1/2 furlongs.

“He’s really taken that next step forward and it was good to see,” said trainer Brian Lynch, who didn’t travel to Belmont and was reached by phone.

Two of a Kind has led in both his races but rates kindly in his works and, despite the nature of his victories, doesn’t seem speed crazy. “If there was a little more pace in there, I think he would have rated nicely, Lynch said.”

There might have been more pace had No Nay Hudson, narrowly favored over Two of a Kind, had not gotten off to a poor start. Zelenskyy Strong, third choice at 3-1, tried to go with Two of a Kind but was outfooted, eventually fading to fifth.

:: Bet the Belmont Stakes with confidence! Join DRF Bets and get a $250 deposit match bonus, $10 free bet, and access to FREE DRF Formulator!

“When he came to the top of the stretch, he was waiting for somebody to fight, that’s what it felt like,” said Luis Saez, who has ridden Two of a Kind in both his starts. “The horse came outside him and he had another gear.”

No Nay Hudson, after looming at the quarter pole, flattened late and finished fourth. Putthepastbehind chased the pace along the rail the whole trip and stayed on for second at 24-1 despite acting up and nearly getting loose after being saddled and mounted in the paddock. Valenzan Day, who was just shy of 7-2 off a May 11 debut score at Belmont, finished third but never threatened the winner.

Saez said Two of a Kind “definitely” would stay seven furlongs. Lynch mentioned the Sanford Stakes over six furlongs on July 15 at Saratoga as a possible next start for Two of a Kind, who might be the most advanced early 2-year-old he’s trained. “Physically and mentally, I think he is. He’s got it together very early,” he said.

Lynch trains Two of a Kind for K and R Racing Stable and Town Branch Racing. The colt, bred in Kentucky by C.W. Swann and Weatherbee Holdings, is a son of Overanalyze and the Freud mare, Freud’s Irish Miss.