Modernist Begins 4-Year-Old Campaign in Challenger

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Modernist Begins 4-Year-Old Campaign in Challenger
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Modernist ahead of the 2020 Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park

A compact field of five lines up for the 20th running of the $100,000 Michelob Ultra Challenger Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs. Pam and Martin Wygod's Modernist, making his 2021 debut, headlines the March 6 contest for 4-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles on the main track.

Modernist was a formidable contender during his 3-year-old campaign, garnering black-type when capturing the Risen Star Stakes presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and a third-place finish in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) prior to a disappointing seventh-place effort in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). Trained by Bill Mott, the son of Uncle Mo has been sidelined since a fifth-place showing in the July 16 Peter Pan Stakes (G3) at Saratoga Race Course.

Junior Alvarado, who has been aboard the 4-year-old in all seven of his career starts, has the call on Saturday. The pair will break from post 5.

Modernist will face Mike Maker trainee Last Judgment, an impressive winner of the Jan. 16 Sunshine Classic Stakes at Gulfstream Park before failing to hit the board in the Jan. 23 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1), and Salerno Stables and Madaket Stables' War Stopper, a Todd Pletcher pupil who has scored consecutive allowance optional claiming victories at Gulfstream Park coming into the Challenger. The stakes-placed Letmeno, away from the races since capturing a Nov. 15 allowance race at Churchill Downs, and Jungle Fighter, making his first start as a gelding for owner/trainer Kerri Raven, complete the field.  


Entries: $100,000 Michelob Ultra Challenger S. (G3)

Tampa Bay Downs, Saturday, March 06, 2021, Race 5

  • Grade III
  • 1 1/16m
  • Dirt
  • $100,000
  • 4 yo's & up
  • 2:18 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Jungle Fighter (KY) Jose C. Ferrer 118 Kerri Raven 6/1
2 2Last Judgment (FL) Daniel Centeno 120 Michael J. Maker 4/1
3 3War Stopper (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Luis Saez 118 Todd A. Pletcher 5/2
4 4Letmeno (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Julien R. Leparoux 120 Ian R. Wilkes 3/1
5 5Modernist (KY) Junior Alvarado 123 William I. Mott 9/5