Slipstream, Sacred Life Post Stakes Wins at Belmont
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Slipstream wins the Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park
Jump Sucker Stable's Slipstream , patiently piloted by Joel Rosario, saved all the ground before tipping out in deep stretch to notch a one-length score Oct. 10 in the $150,000 Futurity Stakes (G3T), a six-furlong inner turf sprint for juveniles at Belmont Park.
The victory earned Slipstream a "Win and You're In" berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2T), a five-furlong test at Del Mar Nov. 5. But trainer Christophe Clement said he would prefer to stretch the colt out to one mile in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T).
"If it's up to me, yes," Clement said. "We have to see how he comes out of it and be sure the owners are on board and that everything goes well."
Video: Race 5 (SOC) at BEL on 10/10/19
Slipstream, who settled at the back of the eight-horse field down the backstretch, advanced along the hedge through the turn. In the stretch, Slipstream rallied strongly up the rail to the inside of Midnight Worker and Poppy Flower before angling outside leader Run Curtis Run late in the lane to secure the win in a final time of 1:08.36 on a firm course. Run Curtis Run completed the exacta by a half-length over Biz Biz Buzz .
Rosario said he had to adjust his plans after being bumped at the break by Biz Biz Buzz and Kavod .
"It just looked a little tight right away and I kind of had to take up a little bit and find a different style with how the race was playing out," Rosario said. "The plan was to be a little closer but it all happened right away, so I had to take another way to do it."
Slipstream, a $170,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase by Northshore Bloodstock, agent, in 2020 from the Burleson Farms consignment, was turning back from a 5 1/4-length maiden score Sept. 18 sprinting seven furlongs on firm Belmont turf. Clement said Sunday's effort would set Slipstream up perfectly to stretch out in distance at the Breeders' Cup.
"I prefer six (furlongs) going into a race that's a mile at Del Mar on the firm than a mile and a sixteenth and drop back to a mile," Clement said. "I always like when you go to California, the idea of pushing that sprinter speed going six or seven furlongs to a mile."
Bred in Kentucky by Burleson Farm and McKenzie Bloodstock, Slipstream is out of the stakes-placed Stormy Atlantic mare Cake Baby, who has a weanling Catalina Cruiser colt and was bred to Game Winner for 2022.
Slipstream improved his record to 2-0-1 in four starts and increased his earnings to $147,600. He paid $6.60 for a $2 win wager.
Sacred Life Rallies in Knickerbocker
Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael Caruso's Sacred Life captured his first North American graded stakes win, displaying a devastating turn of foot in the final furlong to collar pacesetter Field Pass in the last jump of the $150,000 Knickerbocker Stakes (G3T) going 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf.
Sacred Life (outside) runs down Field Pass in the Knickerbocker Stakes at Belmont Park
Sacred Life, a 6-year-old ridgling son of Siyouni , entered the Knickerbocker with an 0-for-4 record in 2021, including a third-place finish in the Maker's Mark Mile (G1T) in April at Keeneland, followed by a pair of fourth-place efforts in graded stakes.
Winning rider Jose Ortiz said he kept a close eye on the Joel Rosario-piloted Breaking the Rules nearing the far turn and pushed the 'go' button once his rival started moving. The victory gave trainer Chad Brown his second straight Knickerbocker win after saddling Devamani to a score in last year's edition.
"He's trained well. He's an honest horse. It just hasn't worked out for him in some of his races and he clicked with Jose today and got a great trip," said Brown's Belmont assistant Dan Stupp, who saddled Royal Flag to victory in the Beldame Stakes (G2) two races before. "He got some pace to run into and made a late run and was able to get up at the wire. It was an exciting finish. It looked a little more fun for Jose than it did for me."
Sacred Life was bred in France Mr. Viktor Timoshenko and Mr. Andriy Milovanov. He is the first foal out of the Montjeu mare Knyazhna, who also produced multiple group-placed Khagan. The mare's latest foal is a yearling colt by Kingman named Feed The Flame.