Blazing Sevens Wins Champagne, First G1 for Good Magic
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Janet Garaguso
Blazing Sevens wins the Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
When trainer Chad Brown opted to run Rodeo Creek Racing's Blazing Sevens in the Oct. 1 Champagne Stakes (G1) at Aqueduct Racetrack instead of the longer, two-turn Oct. 8 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, he didn't plan on interference from meteorologists.
"I was planning to go the Breeders' Futurity but then I called an audible last week after his work," Brown said. "I thought he was a real Breeders' Cup candidate and was dying to get him around two turns, but I rather have the five weeks of rest (before the Breeders' Cup). So I decided to ship him here (for the Champagne) and, sure enough, the hurricane came north, and I was just sick over it the last few days since I had already committed to run here."
Brown's concerns centered on Blazing Sevens' last race, when he ran on a sloppy track in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and finished third, but was a distant 12 lengths behind the victorious Forte .
Clearly, as it turned out, Spa slop and Big A slop are different surfaces, as Blazing Sevens relished the wet going at Aqueduct and rallied from last in the field of six while splashing to a 3 1/4-length victory over Verifying in the $500,000 Champagne. The win in the race for 2-year-olds secured him a free spot in the Nov. 4 FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Race Series.
"Maybe it was a Saratoga thing. I'm not really sure about the last trip, why he didn't fire. He didn't run bad, but he wasn't himself," Brown said. "Today he moved through it perfectly"
The victory gave Brown back-to-back Champagne wins and four since 2016, but it was a second-place finish in the mile even in 2017 that added to the emotion of the moment for the four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer. Five years ago Brown sent out Good Magic to finish second to Firenze Fire in the Champagne, only to have Good Magic win the Juvenile and be named champion 2-year-old male.
On Saturday, Brown savored his role in sending out the juvenile who became the first grade 1 winner for first-year sire Good Magic, now a stallion at Hill 'n' Dale Farm.
"It's such a reward because Good Magic was very unlucky in the Champagne to lose to a Jason Servis-(trained) horse, which is a real head-scratcher," Brown said. "This was some good karma for us that his son was able to get his head in front in the Champagne and win like he did."
Brown is hoping Blazing Sevens can mirror his sire at the World Championships, where Good Magic rolled to victory in his first try around two turns.
"He's looking for two turns, this horse," Brown said. "I can't wait to get him around two turns. You just need everything to go right. He's got some time with five weeks. We have to get through a lot of hurdles. He needs to ship good, get a good post, and all those things. This isn't our first rodeo, so hopefully he can emulate his daddy and cap off a championship year with a win in the Breeders' Cup."
Bred by Tracy Farmer out of the Warrior's Reward mare Trophy Girl , Blazing Sevens was purchased for $225,000 from the Eaton Sales consignment at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and was a 6 1/4-length debut winner on a fast track July 24 at the Spa.
"I want to thank Pete Bradley for picking him out and John and Carla Capek. They are new owners. It's only their second year owning horses. They're lovely people and very deserving. I'm so happy for them, and if he comes out of this healthy it's on to the Breeders' Cup," Brown said.
The connections of Blazing Sevens enjoy the trophy presentation for the Champagne Stakes
A patient ride by Flavien Prat paid off in the one-turn mile as he kept Blazing Sevens at the back while Andiamo a Firenze —a brother to Firenze Fire—set the early fractions of :23.32 and :47.09 while leading by a length over 3-2 favorite Gulfport , who was second as the even-money choice in the Hopeful.
Leaving the quarter pole, the field tightened up as Gulfport collared a tiring Andiamo a Firenze only to have debut winner Verifying move up inside of him and Blazing Sevens swoop into contention from the far outside.
Verifying, a son of Triple Crown winner Justify , forged to a half-length lead at the eighth pole but could not fend off a strong late surge from Blazing Sevens.
Sent off at 8-1 odds in a field in which none of the six had won a graded stakes race heading into the Champagne, Blazing Sevens ($19) was timed in 1:37.07 for the mile over the sloppy, sealed course that he handled with aplomb this time around.
"I could tell he hated the track (at Saratoga)," Brown said. "The fact that he got third and galloped out OK was amazing because (jockey Manny Franco) told us that day he hated the track and that he never felt good under him. These young horses, you're always learning about. They're going to catch different surfaces. These are inexperienced horses, and you're going to learn a lot about them as you go. Sometimes it's going to go your way and other times you're going to have to retreat. Today, it went our way, and this horse moved forward."
Verifying, ridden by Joel Rosario, was second by 1 1/2 lengths over Gulfport.
"He was handling it fine, but getting into the turn I had to ride him a little bit to get him going," said Rosario, who was aboard for trainer Brad Cox. "It was his first time going long, so it was a good effort I thought."
Blazing Sevens is the second of four foals out of Trophy Girl and her lone runner. She also has a yearling Constitution filly and dropped a Goldencents filly this year.