Heat Merchant First Winner for Kobe's Back
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Photo: Michael Burns
Heat Merchant breaks his maiden at Woodbine
Mary Biamonte's Heat Merchant earned his maiden win Aug. 15 at Woodbine to become the first winner for freshman sire Kobe's Back .
The gelding stretched out to six furlongs in his third start on the Tapeta surface for trainer Ralph Biamonte. Ridden by Gary Boulanger, Heat Merchant stalked in third and caught the pacesetter by three-quarters of a length to finish in a final time of 1:11.17, defeating 10 rivals.
Bred in Kentucky by C R K Stable, which campaigned Kobe's Back, Heat Merchant is out of the stakes-winning City Zip mare Red Velvet and is a half brother to two-time stakes-placed Excellorator . Heat Merchant was a $4,500 purchase by Mary Biamonte out of Paramount Sales' consignment to the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He has earned $47,669 with a win and a second in his three starts.
Kobe's Back raced from ages 2-6 and won a trio of grade 2 stakes—the San Vicente, Palos Verdes, and San Carlos—and placed in three grade 1s—the Bing Crosby, Santa Anita Sprint Championship, and Triple Bend. From 26 career starts, the son of Flatter earned $1,116,595 from a 5-3-5 record.
Bred in Kentucky by Joanne Mummert out of the Well Decorated mare Well, 10-year-old Kobe's Back is a half brother to grade 3 winner Well Spelled . He was a $480,000 purchase by L.E.B. from Niall Brennan's consignment to the Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. He stood the 2021 season at Bonita Farm in Maryland for an advertised fee of $3,000.