Sophisticurl the First Winner for Ride On Curlin
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Ryan Thompson
Sophisticurl (outside) battles to the wire with Frankly My Dear to break her maiden at Gulfstream Park
Sophisticurl made her fourth start an impressive one, winning a July 15 maiden special weight for 2-year-old Florida-bred fillies at Gulfstream Park. In doing so, she gave freshman sire Ride On Curlin his first winner.
The filly was entered in the 5 1/2-furlong test by trainer Lester Barbazon III and was ridden to victory by jockey Samy Camacho. Off at odds of 15-1, Sophisticurl went straight to the lead but was met by Frankly My Dear. The pair battled, no more than a head apart, through the entirety of the race.
While Frankly My Dear led by a head at each point of call along the rail for the first five furlongs, the pair swapped blows for the lead as fractions went in :22.81, :46.39, and :58.94. With a lucky head in front at the wire, Sophisticurl posted a final time of 1:05.65 on a fast track.
Owned by Rolling Meadows Farm, Sophisticurl was bred by Helen and Joseph Barbazon. Sophisticurl is out of the unraced Tale of the Cat mare Sophisticattin and is from the female family of grade 2 winner Lottsa Talc, who is the dam of grade 3 winner and Foxwoods King's Bishop Stakes (G1) runner-up Fort Loudon.
Ride On Curlin raced for owner Daniel Dougherty and trainer William Gowan. The son of Curlin earned $795,175 in 22 starts. In his second start as a 2-year-old, he ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03 to set a track record at Ellis Park.
As a 3-year-old, Ride On Curlin placed third in the Southwest Stakes (G3) and Rebel Stakes (G2) before finishing as the runner-up in the Arkansas Derby (G1). In the 2014 Preakness Stakes (G1), Ride On Curlin finished second to California Chrome .
In May 2016, the Barbazons announced they would be standing the stallion at their Pleasant Acres Stallions in Florida the following year. Ride On Curlin has stood for a fee of $5,000 since he entered stud.