Western River on the upswing just in time for the Peter Pan Stakes
Trainer Rodolphe Brisset entered two horses in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes for 3-year-olds, including Western River, a full brother to 2016 Belmont Stakes winner Creator.
It took Creator six attempts to win his first race, something he did on Feb. 27, 2016 at Oaklawn Park. Creator won the Arkansas Derby before a 13th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. He got a brilliant ride from Irad Ortiz Jr. in the Belmont to get up by a nose over Destin.
It took Western River five tries to get his first win, something he did on April 2 at Oaklawn Park, rallying from 18 lengths back to win by 3 3/4 lengths.
:: For the first time ever, our premium past performances are free! Get free Formulator now!
“He did exactly like his brother,” Brisset said. “He broke his maiden pretty impressively. The number came back fast, an 87 Beyer. If he runs 1-2-3 in the Peter Pan, we’ll run him in the Belmont. I think the mile and a half and two turns will suit him.”
Brisset also entered We the People, a son of Constitution who won his first two starts before finishing seventh, 13 1/4 lengths behind Cyberknife in the Arkansas Derby.
“We weren’t expecting everybody was going to send like that on the inside of us,” Brisset said. “Before the turn we were already eight wide and so Flavien [Prat] took him back, and took him off his game. It was a little too much too quick.”
Cooke Creek, who won the Rocky Run at Delaware Park last October, is the only stakes winner in a field that includes Electability, State Planning, Set Sail, Writeitontheice and Complete Agenda.