The Wine Steward surprises Wilson Q in Bashford Manor
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The Wine Steward was easily best over the well-regarded Wilson Q for a mild upset in the $225,000 Bashford Manor, one of two 2-year-old stakes on Sunday at Ellis Park.
New York-bred The Wine Steward ($6.44) is from the first crop of Breeders' Cup Classic winner and Eclipse Award champion Vino Rosso, a son of emerging sire-of-sires Curlin. The colt was a $70,000 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred yearling last year, then was a successful pinhook for $340,000 when selected by trainer Mike Maker for Paradise Farms and David Staudacher at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s March sale of 2-year-olds in training. He is now delivering for those connections, as he is a perfect 2 for 2 after defeating fellow statebreds in May at Belmont coming in to his stakes debut, for which he was sent away as the second choice.
Wilson Q was favored in the Bashford Manor for Doug O'Neill after earning the field's highest debut Beyer Speed Figure, a 76, while winning in May at Churchill Downs. That race has produced three next-out winners, including Tremont Stakes winner Gold Sweep.
Wilson Q, however, broke inward at the start from his rail position under Reylu Gutierrez, and Go Otto Go rushed up to lead through the opening quarter of 22.20 seconds, with Call Me Andy on his hip. Wilson Q was another 1 1/2 lengths back in third, with The Wine Steward and Luis Saez right with him. The Wine Steward got first run on Wilson Q, swinging three-wide at the quarter pole to take aim on Go Otto Go, who was still tenaciously leading Call Me Andy. Wilson Q came four-wide for the drive.
The Wine Steward forged his way to a half-length lead over a game Call Me Andy in the stretch and began to drive clear, eventually extending his margin to 2 3/4 lengths at the wire while finishing the six furlongs on a track rated fast in 1:10.06.
“I was looking at his replay last time, and he was able to break and be behind horses,” Saez said. “I think with some more distance, he’ll really like it. I really loved the way he came home. The plan was always to be behind the speed. We knew he’d have a big turn of foot, and he did.”
Wilson Q, still running widest of all in the stretch, came on to be a clear second, 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Call Me Andy. It was another 3 1/2 lengths back to Go Otto Go, followed by Magical Mark and Unified Point.
Earlier on the card, Brightwork lived up to the bright promise of her debut, holding favored V V's Dream at bay through the stretch for a half-length win in the sister race, the $225,000 Debutante Stakes.
Brightwork ($6.56), who contributed to Saez's sweep of the two juvenile stakes on the card, is now unbeaten in two starts for WSS Racing and trainer John Ortiz. The daughter of Outwork, in turn a son of the precocity-influencing Uncle Mo, followed in her sire's footsteps by winning a 4 1/2-length maiden race in debut in April at Keeneland. The form of that race has come back strong, as third-place Crimson Advocate has gone on to win the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies at Gulfstream and the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at the renowned Royal Ascot meeting.
Thus flattered, Brightwork was sent off as the second choice in the Debutante behind V V's Dream, a 6 1/4-length debut winner in May 19 at Churchill for Ken McPeek, earning the highest debut Beyer in the field.
"The last two months we prepared her for today," Ortiz said. "She showed her skills today. I was surprised when she won on debut because I wasn’t sure how ready she was to run. Today, she was really ready to go.”
Brightwork was away sharply under Saez and rolled through an opening quarter in 22.56 seconds, and the half in 45.50 seconds. V V's Dream, allowed to settle in to stride by Brian Hernandez Jr., crept to the throatlatch of the leader at the quarter pole, but Brightwork responded with a burst of speed to kick clear by 1 1/2 lengths. V V's Dream kept at it, eating into the margin, but Brightwork held firm at the wire.
The final time for the six furlongs was 1:09.79 - faster than the colts ran two races later on the card, on the track that was rated fast but was drying out after it was muddy during training hours.
After the top two, it was 4 1/2 lengths back to Easy Red, with City Ghost rounding out the field of four starters. Two fillies scratched, including the promising Keeneland debut winner Hibernacle.
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