Liam's Map Runners Score Three Stakes at Gulfstream

Runners by Lane's End's third-crop sire Liam's Map   came out of the stakes-rich March 27 card at Gulfstream Park with three black-type stakes victories—two of them graded—on different surfaces, at a range of distances, and with distinctly different running styles.

The 10-year-old son of Unbridled's Song is the sire of Crazy Beautiful , a closing winner of the 8 1/2-furlong Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2); Churn N Burn , who captured the 1 1/2-mile Pan American Stakes Presented by Rood & Riddle (G2T) gate to wire; and previous grade 1 winner Basin , who won his 2021 debut in the seven-furlong Sir Shackleton Stakes.

"The day reminds of when Smart Strike had three graded stakes winners in New York on one day—dirt, turf, long, short," said Bill Farish with Lane's End. "Liam's Map's stakes winners are usually graded stakes winners and for three of his six graded stakes winners to be grade 1 winners is exceptional."

Through March 28, Liam's Map has sired eight career black-type stakes winners and is the leading North American third-crop sire by number of year-to-date graded stakes winners with three and leads by percentage of black-type performers from runners at 9.1%. The sire's first graded stakes winner for the year was Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam , who won the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T). The 4-year-old colt went on to capture his second graded victory in the March 20 Muniz Memorial Classic Stakes (G2T) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Phoenix Thoroughbred III's Crazy Beautiful had already proven she belonged in elite company prior to the Gulfstream Park Oaks, with second-place finishes at 2 in the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1) and the Pocahontas Stakes (G3) and at 3 in the Feb. 27 Davona Dale Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream. With a patient, ground-saving trip from jockey Jose Ortiz, Crazy Beautiful tracked at the back of the field early on and then steadily began to advance after the first half-mile. In deep stretch, she got a clear path and kicked on to win by 2 1/4 lengths for trainer Kenny McPeek.

"I thought Jose rode her perfect today. He got her in a nice rhythm," said McPeek after the race. "She was a little farther back than she's normally been, but she's got a lot of turn of foot."

On the other end of the spectrum was Lothenbach Stables' 4-year-old gelding Churn N Burn, who jumped immediately to the lead in the Pan American and never saw another horse. He easily repelled all challengers and drew away to win his first test in stakes company by 2 1/2 lengths. Ridden by Julien Leparoux and trained by Ian Wilkes, Churn N Burn now has three wins and four placed finishes out of 10 starts.

Basin had already proven himself at the highest level at 2 and 3, having previously won the Runhappy Hopeful Stakes (G1) and the Arkansas Derby (G1). Jackpot Farm's 4-year-old gave trainer Todd Pletcher some anxious moments in deep stretch in the Sir Shackleton before his competitiveness kicked in and propelled him to a half-length victory.

"He got in a good stretch duel, and he was very game at the end," said Pletcher after the race. "We cut it close, but we had him ready to get the job done today. I think he'll move forward from the race."

The success of Liam's Map runners at Gulfstream provided a nice glaze to an extraordinarily rich weekend for owner Vincent Viola and Pletcher, who won the Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa (G1) with Known Agenda . Viola and Pletcher campaigned Liam's Map, who became a stakes winner at 3 and then a millionaire at 4 when he won the Woodward Stakes (G1) and the Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). The colt also was runner-up in 2015 in the Whitney Stakes (G1). Viola still owns a significant piece of Liam's Map, according to Farish. Liam's Map stands for $30,000 this year.

While Liam's Map's stakes winners have surfaced from a variety of broodmare sire lines, it is noteworthy that two of his grade 1 winners—Colonial Liam and Frizette Stakes (G1) winner Wicked Whisper —are out of Bernardini   mares. This mating is a continuation of the success seen with Unbridled's Song and mares by Bernardini's sire A.P. Indy, which produced 70% winners and 10% black-type winners from foals and an Average Earnings Index of 2.01.