Emmanuel Aces Turf Debut in Pennine Ridge

There was a time a few months ago when it seemed as if the Triple Crown was in Emmanuel 's future. Now in early June, that's still the case, but it's not the series people spoke incessantly about in March.

After finishing third in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and dropping out of consideration for the Triple Crown for 3-year-olds on dirt, trainer Todd Pletcher and the connections of Emmanuel went to Plan B and are steering their colt toward the Caesars Turf Triple in New York.

That tactic looks promising as WinStar Farm and Siena Farm's son of More Than Ready   ran to his pedigree June 4, posting a front-running one-length victory over Napoleonic War  in the $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes (G2T) for 3-year-olds in his turf debut. The win secured one of three automatic spots in the opening leg of the Turf Triple that were offered in the stakes at Belmont Park.

"The (Caesars Belmont Derby, G1T) would be the logical next spot," Elliott Walden, CEO, president, and racing manager of WinStar Farm said about the July 9 kickoff race in the Turf Triple. "You felt he would do something like this on turf with More Than Ready on top and a bottom side with some high-quality turf in it."

Emmanuel was bred by the Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust out of the unraced Hard Spun   mare Hard Cloth , a half sister to multiple group 1 winner and $4.77 million earner Hawkbill . He is the second foal and first winner for Hard Cloth, who also has a 2-year-old Kitten's Joy   colt who sold for the equivalent of $300,804 earlier this year at the Goffs Dubai Sale, a yearling full sister to Emmanuel, and a Munnings   filly born this year.

The big edge Emmanuel possessed over his five rivals in Saturday's prep for the Belmont Derby was early speed, and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. took full advantage of that edge. Breaking quickly, Ortiz took Emmanuel right to the front and enjoyed a length lead after a half-mile in :51.72 on firm turf, which was a far cry from the :48.39 opening half-mile he carved out on dirt in the Blue Grass while traveling the same 1 1/8-mile distance as Saturday's race.

After a half-mile, Ortiz allowed his mount to quicken with a quarter in :24.19 and another in :23.31.

"We told Irad not to turn it into a sprint to the wire because he was coming off dirt races and those turf horses can wait, and wait, and wait, then really kick, so we talked to him about going on and letting him spread the race a bit," Walden said. "We didn't want him to wait on them. The idea was to go ahead and give him some momentum, which he did. He rode him great."

After cruising along through six furlongs in 1:15.91 on turf with some give in it, Emmanuel had more than enough speed left in the tank to fend off the inevitable stretch challenges.

Peter Brant's Napoleonic War and Stuart Janney III's Limited Liability  took a run at the leader in the final furlong, but they came no closer than a length as Emmanuel ($5.80), the 9-5 favorite, crossed the wire in 1:51.11, completing the final three furlongs in :35.20.

Bought for $350,000 by Maverick Racing from the Gainesway consignment at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Emmanuel won for the third time in five career starts and improved his earnings to $272,100.

Napoleonic War, a son of War Front   trained by Chad Brown, was second by a half-length over Limited Liability, a Kitten's Joy   colt who rallied for last for trainer Shug McGaughey.

Napoleonic War and Limited Liability also received an automatic invite to the Belmont Derby.

Video: Pennine Ridge S. (G2T)