Global Campaign Returns Victorious at Gulfstream

Sagamore Farm and WinStar Farm's Global Campaign returned April 25 from a nine-month layoff to capture a seven-furlong allowance optional claiming event at Gulfstream Park. 

The 4-year-old Curlin  colt won the Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Belmont Park in May 2019 before running third in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course in late July. Saturday was his first start since.

Global Campaign missed a chance at the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) last year after grabbing a quarter in the Xpressbet Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and finished fifth. Another foot issue caused him to be scratched from the Ohio Derby (G3) in June, and he was sidelined with bone bruising the latter half of the year. He showed he was in fine form in his comeback race, though.

"He kind of lunged out of the gate, he didn't break running. He had a really good work last time (five furlongs in 1:00 April 18 at Palm Meadows Training Center), but I wasn't able to prepare him maybe like you like to because he's kind of had his problems," trainer Stanley Hough said. "He's been doing very good lately, and I just wanted to get him there. I thought he ran great."

Global Campaign, the 5-2 second choice, was rated in fourth early by jockey Chris Landeros. Two-time Bold Venture Stakes (G3) winner Yorkton showed the way through an opening quarter-mile in :22.42 and sped up to run a half-mile in :44.20. Rare Form, third in the Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) this year, pressed the pace in second ahead of Spinoff, the 2019 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up.

Back into fifth at the half-mile marker, Global Campaign launched a six-wide bid turning for home and continued to find momentum down the stretch. He rolled past Yorkton to cross the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front. The final time was 1:21.71 on a fast main track.

"They ran :44 and change, they were running," Hough said. "When (Landeros) asked him to run, they were going around the turn and it looked like he might not fire, but when he straightened out, he accelerated good. I'm very excited about the race."

Yorkton held for second by a nose over a rallying Majestic Dunhill in third. Spinoff, Rare Form, Soldado, and Borracho completed the order of finish.

Once Churchill Downs opens up, Global Campaign will join Hough's base there. The Louisville track announced April 23 that the stable area will not open until at least May 5. The opening has repeatedly been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I hope we get (a race) for him there in the next six weeks or eight weeks or whatever it takes," Hough said. "There will be something, but the schedule is all messed up, so you can't really plan on anything. I'm just glad that I got to run him and he looks like he came back good, so I'm very excited about that."

From six starts, Global Campaign has a 4-0-1 record and earnings of $325,080. The bay colt was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm out of the A.P. Indy mare Globe Trot, who also produced 2017 champion 2-year-old male Bolt d'Oro  and multiple stakes winner Sonic Mule. Sagamore purchased Global Campaign for $250,000 from Select Sales' consignment to the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, with WinStar retaining part ownership.