Asmussen Brings Talented Duo to Breeders' Futurity

A brilliant first-out winner with one start and a more experienced stakes winner who has already placed in graded company are the contenders Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen brings Oct. 3 to the $400,000 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland.

A field of nine entered the 1 1/16-mile stakes that is a Breeders' Cup Challenge qualifier for the $2 million TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1), which will be run Nov. 6 at Keeneland.

Asmussen's entries are Calibrate, a son of Distorted Humor  out of the Dynaformer mare Glamour and Style owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, and Super Stock, a son of Dialed In  out of the winning Closing Argument mare Super Girlie who is owned by Asmussen's parents, Keith and Marilyn Asmussen, along with Erv Woolsey.

Winchell Thoroughbreds bought Calibrate for $340,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The colt debuted Aug. 15 at Saratoga Race Course, where he wired the field and won by 4 1/2 lengths under Ricardo Santana Jr., who has the mount Saturday.

Super Stock has been an important horse to the Asmussen family this year, having delivered the first stakes victory for the trainer's son, Keith, who pursued the dream of being a jockey during the recent Lone Star Park meet. The colt, bought for $70,000 at the Keeneland September sale, won the Aug. 11 Texas Thoroughbred Futurity by 3 1/2 lengths.

"He has given us plenty to smile about," Asmussen said about Super Stock. "When he won the stakes for my mom and dad and Erv and was ridden by my son, Keith, it was quite the special moment."

Super Stock is the only stakes winner in the field and comes into the race off a third in the Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. He will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione.

"Being third off a fairly short turnaround in the Iroquois proved he has some quality, and that's the reason he gets a shot in the Breeders' Futurity," Asmussen said.

"They are both doing extremely well physically," the trainer continued. "We have Calibrate with only one run but all the potential and talent in the world. Every indication he gives us is that he will excel over long distances, and he has been as impressive as any 2-year-old training in the morning. Then we have Super Stock, who has an abundance of experience, so it will be very interesting."

The field includes four other first-out winners: Godolphin homebred Essential Quality, who won by four lengths Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs going six furlongs; Jeff Drown and Don Rachel's Founder, who won by a neck Aug. 29 at Saratoga going six furlongs; Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury, who won by 2 3/4 lengths Sept. 3 at Churchill Downs going 1 1/16 miles; and William Sparks, Brereton Jones, and Robert LaPenta's Upstriker, who won Aug. 30 by five lengths at Ellis Park going 6 1/2 furlongs.

Entries: Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1)

Keeneland, Saturday, October 03, 2020, Race 9

• Grade I
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $400,000
• 2 yo
• 5:24 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Super Stock (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	122	Steven M. Asmussen	8/1
2	2Upstriker (KY)	Joseph Talamo	122	Ron Moquett	8/1
3	3Notary (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	122	D. Wayne Lukas	20/1
4	4Essential Quality (KY)	Luis Saez	122	Brad H. Cox	2/1
5	5Keepmeinmind (KY)	David Cohen	122	Robertino Diodoro	30/1
6	6Dixie's Two Stents (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	122	Doug F. O'Neill	12/1
7	7Calibrate (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	122	Steven M. Asmussen	7/2
8	8Founder (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Chad C. Brown	5/2
9	9King Fury (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	122	Kenneth G. McPeek	12/1