Red Danger Aces Juvenile Sprint at Kentucky Downs

Red Danger  may have been just a $17,000 purchase at auction, but the Orb  colt took his value to another level Sept. 9 with a victory in the $500,000 Global Tote Juvenile Sprint Stakes at Kentucky Downs.

Entered by trainer Brian Lynch for Silverton Hill off a strong maiden score Aug. 11 going 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga Race Course with Luis Saez in the irons, and reunited with that rider Thursday, 2-year-old Red Danger employed the same steady running style he displayed in New York to get the job done for his first black-type score.

The actual running of the 6 1/2-furlong Juvenile Sprint Stakes did not mark the only opportunity for Red Danger to bide his time Thursday. He also had to wait after loading into the gate and then unloading when Detroit City  (No. 7) flipped in the gate and Pure Panic  (No. 6) broke through the front without leaving the hands of the assistant starter. Both were scratched before the rest of the horses reloaded, leaving a field of eight to head on their way.

Breaking well from post 5, Red Danger tracked fifth along the outside as Baytown Warrior  set the pace through an opening quarter in :21.85. There was still a bit of ground to make up while Red Danger moved up through a :45.24 quarter behind three rivals, including 9-5 favorite Kaufymaker , but Saez kept his mount to the task and they wore down the front-runners with steady pressure through three-quarters in 1:10.03.

Shifting over to look Kaufymaker in the eye, Red Danger continued to grind it out and claimed the victory in a final time of 1:16.51. He was off at odds of 5-2 and returned $7.20 on a $2 win ticket. Romancer  closed for second while Kaufymaker held for third.

Red Danger was bred in Kentucky by DATTT Farm out of the winning Distorted Humor   mare Forget It  and is her first foal. She has a yearling Good Samaritan   filly and dropped a Maximus Mischief   colt April 20. She was bred to Honest Mischief for 2022.

Agent Phil Hager of Taproot Bloodstock selected Red Danger from Denali Stud's consignment to the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

This story will be updated.