Officiating may never match the $1.3 million bankroll earned by his half sister, Caledonia Road , the champion 2-year-old female of 2017, but he keeps clawing away.
Racing July 9 at Prairie Meadows, the 4-year-old Blame colt notched his third graded stakes victory in defeating Fleetridge and Warrant in the $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3).
The $180,00 first prize improved his earnings to $534,097 for Peter Vegso's Vegso Racing Stable. Vegso bred the colt in Florida out of the Dixie Union mare Come a Callin .
Winner of the 2021 Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) over seven furlongs and the six-furlong Tom Fool Handicap (G3) in March, Officiating stretched out effectively to 1 1/8 miles Saturday evening. In third while three wide for much of the race, he moved up in the stretch and wore down leader Fleetridge by 1 1/4 lengths in the final furlong under Javier Castellano. The Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee was timed in 1:50.04 on a fast track, returning $18.80 to win.
Favored Warrant could only make up minimal ground in the slow-paced race to be third, ahead of retreating fourth-place finisher and six-furlong leader Flash of Mischief . Silver Prospector and Rated R Superstar rounded out the order of finish.
In addition to Caledonia Road and Officiating, Come a Callin produced minor stakes winner One of a Kind (Lemon Drop Kid ) from eight foals. She has a 2-year-old Munnings colt named Giannis and foaled a Quality Road colt this year.