Fire At Will Makes the Grade in Pilgrim Stakes
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Susie Raisher
Fire At Will wins the Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park
Three Diamonds Farm's Fire At Will utilized a frontrunning approach under Kendrick Carmouche to capture the $150,000 Pilgrim Stakes (G2T), a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for juveniles, Oct. 3 at Belmont Park.
Public Sector, the 4-5 favorite, broke sharply under Javier Castellano, who elected to settle along the hedge as Fire At Will battled his way to the front over a game Zippy Baby to set the opening quarter-mile in :25.58.
Fire At Will, who graduated last out in the off-the-turf With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, maintained his lead down the backstretch as Zippy Baby tracked in second outside of Step Dancer with Public Sector saving ground in fourth through a half-mile in :50.35.
Step Dancer, piloted by Dylan Davis, angled off the rail through the turn with Public Sector following suit, but Fire At Will surged away from his rivals at the top of the lane and continued to find more en route to a two-length score. Fire At Will stopped the clock in 1:43.46 on the firm inner turf.
Public Sector rallied resolutely to complete the exacta, two lengths in front of a game Step Dancer who just held off the late-closing inside charge of Shawdyshawdyshawdy.
Rounding out the order of finish were Zippy Baby and American Monarch.
Carmouche said his goal was to set a measured pace.
"I left there running and he already had his ears pricked before we turned on the backside," said Carmouche. "I wanted to keep him on the left lead where he wouldn't get so aggressive on the backside. I finally popped him over and he sat so nicely in my hands. I just had to make sure I waited as long as I can, because when you have Chad Brown horses chasing you in the stretch, you know you have to make sure to keep going faster."
Fire At Will finished sixth in his Aug. 8 debut in a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden won by Pilgrim-rival American Monarch. The Declaration of War bay followed with a half-length score in the off-the-turf With Anticipation over a sloppy Saratoga strip under Irad Ortiz Jr. on Sept. 2.
"My horse ran a monster race on the dirt last time," said Carmouche. "I just figured, let me run away from there. He was in hand the whole way. I was just waiting to push the button. Mike Maker gets these horses ready the right way. He's one of the best trainers in the country with grass horses. I just appreciate the opportunity from Mr. Kirk (Wycoff of Three Diamonds Farm)."
Bred in Kentucky by Troy Rankin, Fire At Will has earned $137,932 and improved his record to two wins from three starts. Out of the Kitten's Joy mare Flirt, Fire At Will's second dam produced grade 1-winning turfer Decorated Invader.
Fire At Will, a $97,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase from the consignment of Select Sales, returned $29 for a $2 win ticket.