Spendthrift, Fletcher Line up for Victory Formation

With their 2-year-old Victory Formation  cruising to a front-end victory in his racing debut in a maiden special weight test Oct. 21 at Keeneland, a new racing partnership started on the right foot.

Victory Formation is the first starter for the partnership of Spendthrift Farm and Frank Fletcher Racing. After the son of Tapwrit   scored an easy victory in Friday's 6 1/2-furlong test, he was met in the winner's circle by Fletcher, Spendthrift owner Eric Gustavson, and Spendthrift general manager Ned Toffey.

"That was exciting," said Fletcher, who also campaigns homebred multiple grade 2 winner and grade 1-placed Frank's Rockette . "It was exciting to see him come right out from the start and lead all the way. I have had very few horses in my lifetime do that in their first start."

Trained by Brad Cox, Victory Formation set the pace while pressed early, enjoying a clear advantage through a quarter-mile in :23.03 and a half-mile in :46.91. When jockey Luis Saez asked for just a bit more entering the stretch, Victory Formation kicked away to a 4 3/4-length victory. He completed the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.94 on a fast track.

The new partners went to $340,000 to land Victory Formation at this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale where he was consigned by L.G. Fletcher and Toffey credited bloodstock agent Liz Crow with bringing them together. 

"This is our first start, first horse; we couldn't be happier," Toffey said. "Eric has wanted to partner on horses so we've been looking for people that kind of have similar interests as ours. Liz does a great job of selecting so it was just a perfect fit and so far so good."

Out of the winning Smart Strike mare Smart N Soft, Victory Formation was bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds. Smart N Soft also is the dam of grade 1-placed winner Bellamore . Victory Formation's sire, Tapwrit, stands at Gainesway near Lexington. His 2023 fee is to be announced.

Toffey said Victory Formation happened to be the very first horse he saw at the May 23-24 sale in Timonium, Md.

"He just made a great impression," Toffey said. "We all liked him and Liz liked him. He's a beautiful animal and showed he was an athlete at the sale. We were happy to get him."

Toffey said the next start has not been determined for Victory Formation.

Earlier on Friday's card, second-time starter Lugan Knight  outdueled Carcano  in the stretch to prevail by a half-length in the day's other 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight test for juveniles. The son of Goldencents   is a homebred for George Yager's BG Stables.

"He looked good winning that one," Yager said by phone.

Lugan Knight is the first starter out of the Speightstown   mare Sly Roxy, who won her 2017 maiden special weight debut at Saratoga Race Course. While she didn't advance off of that effort, Yager kept her to breed and has since sold the mare privately.

Lugan Knight entered off a runner-up finish in a six-furlong maiden race Sept. 21 at Churchill Downs.