Beatbox to Make Return in Belmont Park Maiden Test
Image:
Description:
Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
Beatbox in the sale ring at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale
Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Beatbox is scheduled to make a return to the track June 12, in race 2 at Belmont Park. The $2.1 million purchase last raced during the Keeneland fall meet as a 2-year-old but finished off the board in an about seven-furlong maiden test with Tyler Gaffalione aboard for trainer Chad Brown.
A son of Pioneerof the Nile, Beatbox was bought during the Keeneland September Yearling Sale by agent Mike Ryan for e Five Racing. Breeder Three Chimneys Farm later bought into the colt, who is a half brother to Guarana , winner of the 2019 Acorn Stakes (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) and the 2020 Madison Stakes (G1). The siblings are out of the Distorted Humor mare Magical World.
In his debut, Beatbox raced near the pace and posed a good challenge nearing the stretch but began to lug in and eventually faded to seventh. In Saturday's race he will take on a challenging field of five other 3-year-olds and older, including stablemate Miles D , going one mile from post 5 with Javier Castellano aboard.
Included in that field is first-time starter Vindictive , a half brother to grade 1 winner Stopchargingmaria .
Trained by Todd Pletcher for Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable, and LNJ Foxwoods, the Uncle Mo colt fired two consecutive five-furlong bullets in May, posting times of 1:01.65 and following that the next week with 1:00.55 on the dirt track at Belmont.
Vindictive will leave post 1 with Luis Saez aboard.
Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Vindictive is out of the grade-3 placed stakes winner Exotic Bloom (by Montbrook).
Racing from post 6 with Jose Ortiz up will be Absolute Courage , an $800,000 yearling purchase by Courtland Farm from the Keeneland September sale. A 3-year-old son of Into Mischief , Absolute Courage has only two starts under his belt. He finished fourth in his April 9 debut at Aqueduct Racetrack and then placed third May 7 at Belmont Park.
Bred by Dell Ridge Farm, Absolute Courage is out of the unraced Eskendereya mare Nest Egg.
The morning-line favorite in Saturday's race is Bill Mott trainee Southern Flag , a son of Union Rags that finished a neck behind to get second in his May 14 debut over the same track and distance.