Four Wheel Drive Spins Away in Futurity Stakes
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Joe Labozzetta
Four Wheel Drive powers through the stretch in the Futurity at Belmont Park
Bet down to odds of 4-5, Four Wheel Drive proved bettors right and brought his record to 2-for-2 by taking the $150,000 Futurity Stakes (G3T) at Belmont Park.
Trained by Wesley Ward for Breeze Easy, the son of American Pharoah outran a field of five other 2-year-olds in the six-furlong sprint, earning a berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T) at Santa Anita Park next month.
"Hopefully, he comes out of the race well," said Breeze Easy co-owner Mike Hall. "It will be our first Breeders' Cup starter. We had Shang Shang Shang last year, but he came up a little off the day of the race, so hopefully this one makes the dream come true."
Jumping out of the gate under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Four Wheel Drive had the lead for a few strides before French-bred Jack and Noah took over, setting fractions of :21.62 and :44.33. Four Wheel Drive gave chase in second about three lengths back, with another break of three to four lengths to Another Miracle and Freewheeler.
Rounding the turn, Four Wheel Drive began to close the gap, and once they turned into the stretch, he was neck-and-neck with the leader on the outside. Ortiz kept him to task, and he pulled away to win by three lengths in a final time of 1:08.07 on a firm turf course.
"The plan was for him to just sit chilly," Hall said. "Irad knew he had a lot of horse. He just made his move when he needed to."
The winner returned $3.90, $2.90, and $2.30. Freewheeler got up for second, a half-length in front of Embolden, who closed from well off the pace.
"I worked him before this race, and I put him behind horses," Ortiz said. "He always worked good like that and relaxed. When I asked him, he would take off like an older horse. He has a good mind, so I didn't panic. I just let him break wherever he is comfortable and then go from there because I know he didn't have to be on the lead. He relaxed well, and when I asked, he turned on."
Bred in Kentucky by Glenvale Stud, Four Wheel Drive is the first stakes winner for his dam, the stakes-winning More Than Ready mare Funfair. The colt sold for $525,000 when Hartley/DeRenzo bought him from Paramount Sales at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale in New York. He was an $825,000 buyback when Hartley/DeRenzo consigned him to The Gulfstream Sale, Fasig-Tipton's Florida 2-year-olds in training sale.