No Denying Search Results in Acorn Stakes
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Photo: Tim Lanahan/Skip Dickstein
Search Results wins the Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park
One start after coming up just short in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), Search Results would not be denied her first grade 1 victory June 5 at Belmont Park.
After tracking three wide in the long far turn at Belmont under jockey Javier Castellano, Klaravich Stables' Flatter filly took command in early stretch and held off a too-late rally from Obligatory to win the $500,000 Acorn Stakes (G1). Longshot Make Mischief finished third.
Search Results completed the one-turn mile in 1:35.50 and finished a half-length ahead of late-running Obligatory, who entered Saturday's one-mile test for 3-year-old fillies off a clear victory in the April 30 Eight Belles Stakes Presented by Smithfield (G2) at Churchill Downs.
The Chad Brown trainee cut back in distance for the Acorn after she dueled with Malathaat through the Churchill stretch in a memorable edition of the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks, finishing a neck behind the winner. In Saturday's test she would rate early as Dayoutoftheoffice cruised through relatively slow fractions of :23.5 and :47.1, while tracked by Make Mischief—who entered off a third-place finish in the Eight Belles.
"I'm just so proud of her to come back in five weeks after a real dog fight with Malathaat," Brown said. "To bounce right back and lay it on the line again, this filly has so much talent and so much heart. She's a very rare kind of horse to have, and we're so lucky to have her."
Search Results and her connections in the winner's circle at Belmont Park
Riding for Irad Ortiz Jr., who was off his mounts Saturday after being injured in a spill Thursday at Belmont, Castellano confidently positioned Search Results three wide in the turn. She put away last year's Frizette Stakes (G1) winner Dayoutoftheoffice to take command in mid-stretch and wasn't seriously threatened by Obligatory's impressive rally from last in the field of five after the scratch of Miss Brazil .
"I was at the right place at the right time. I was very fortunate to (get the mount)," Castellano said. "I'm thankful to Chad Brown for the opportunity to ride this horse; we've had a lot of success in the past. I'm sorry for Irad Ortiz that he got hurt, but it gave me the opportunity to ride."
Brown secured his second Acorn victory in the past three years; he sent out Guarana in 2019.
Unraced at 2, Search Results has won three stakes this year after taking the listed Busher Invitational Stakes in March and the Gazelle Stakes (G3) in April, both at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Owner Seth Klarman greets jockey Javier Castellano after Search Results' Acorn Stakes score
Jose Ortiz, aboard Obligatory, loved how the daughter of Curlin finished Saturday in her first grade 1 try, making up 4 1/2 lengths in a final quarter mile run in :24.5. A Juddmonte Farm homebred, Obligatory is trained by Bill Mott.
"She ran huge. The pace was a lot slower today, and when they started running at the three-eighths pole, they got the jump on me," Ortiz said. "It was very hard to keep her engaged with them, but she made a good run down the lane."
Gary Barber's Make Mischief, trained by Mark Casse, earned a grade 1-placing in her first try at the top level.
"She gave me a big effort today," said Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard the daughter of Into Mischief . "She broke well and put herself in a nice position. Coming into the stretch, (Search Results) went about her business, but (Make Mischief) kept fighting all the way to the wire. It was a big effort today."
Bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall, Search Results is one of two foals to race, both winners, out of the winning, stakes-placed Candy Ride mare Co Cola.
Mike Ryan went to $310,000 to land Search Results for her current connections from Select Sales' consignment to the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.