Gulfport Looks for First Grade 1 Victory in Champagne

After earning a grade 1-placing in his previous start, Gulfport  will try to secure his first win at the top level when he faces an expected five other juveniles in the $500,000 Champagne Stakes (G1) Oct. 1 at the Belmont at the Big A meet.

The one-turn mile test drew just six colts, all looking for their initial graded stakes win Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack. The race is a Breeders' Cup Challenge event, awarding a fees-paid "Win and You're In" spot in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 4 at Keeneland.

Campaigned by the partnership of Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Jackpot Farm, Whispering Oaks Farm, and Coolmore Stud, Gulfport enters off back-to-back runner-up finishes in graded stakes at Saratoga Race Course. The son of Uncle Mo   most recently finished second to Forte  in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) Sept. 5 after finishing 3 1/4 lengths behind Damon's Mound  in the Aug. 13 Saratoga Special Stakes (G2).

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Gulfport won his maiden debut in June at Churchill Downs before overwhelming five other juveniles there to win the Bashford Manor Stakes by 12 1/4 lengths July 4.

Gulfport has proven ready for the challenges of racing as Saturday would mark a fifth straight month he has started. He has worked twice on the Saratoga training track since the Hopeful. Asmussen will be looking for his second Champagne victory in the past three years after winning in 2020 with Jackie's Warrior.  

Saturday's race also has drawn the third-place finisher from the Hopeful in Rodeo Creek Racing's Blazing Sevens , a son of freshman sire Good Magic  . The Hopeful was the second start for Blazing Sevens, who drew off in the stretch of his six-furlong maiden debut to post a 6 1/4-length victory July 24 at Saratoga. 

"The horse had trained really good and you never know at Saratoga what you're going to run into in those races, but he showed up and identified himself as one of our top prospects," said trainer Chad Brown of that initial win. "He got a (sloppy) track in the Hopeful and it was difficult for him, but he tried and he galloped out well. I think as the distances increase, we'll see the best of this horse."

Brown, of course, conditioned Good Magic, who earned champion juvenile male honors in 2017 and finished second to eventual Triple Crown winner Justify   in the 2018 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Brown said it's extra special to be sending out a colt by Good Magic.

NYRA publicity reports the winner of the Hopeful, Forte, is being pointed to the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1), a 1 1/16-mile test Oct. 8 at Keeneland.

Mr. Amore Stable's Andiamo a Firenze  drew the rail in Saturday's test after posting a 5 1/2-length score over other New York-breds in the Funny Cide Stakes Presented by Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital Aug. 26 at the Spa. Trainer Mike Maker has entered Top Recruit , a son of Midshipman   who posted a narrow victory Aug. 14 in the Runhappy Ellis Park Juvenile Stakes.

Rounding out the field are a pair of runners entered off impressive maiden-debut victories at Saratoga in Champions Dream  and Verifying . The latter is a son of freshman sire Justify   purchased by his Coolmore-connected owners for $775,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Entries: Champagne S. (G1)

Belmont at the Big A, Saturday, October 01, 2022, Race 10

• Grade I
• 1m
• Dirt
• $500,000
• 2 yo
• 5:45 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Andiamo a Firenze (NY)	Jose Lezcano	122	Kelly J. Breen	6/1
2	2Top Recruit (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	122	Michael J. Maker	5/1
3	3Verifying (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Brad H. Cox	9/5
4	4Champions Dream (KY)	Manuel Franco	122	Danny Gargan	5/1
5	5Blazing Sevens (KY)	Flavien Prat	122	Chad C. Brown	8/1
6	6Gulfport (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	122	Steven M. Asmussen	2/1