Fame and Power, Holy Boss Win Listed Stakes

Juddmonte Farms' Fame and Power was allowed to set an uncontested but honest pace and wasn't threatened en route to a quality score in the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes for 3-year-May 16 at Pimlico Race Course .

Later on the card, Jerry Durant's Holy Boss took the $100,00 Chick Lang Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters with a good move from third to first.

With Martin Garcia riding for trainer Bob Baffert in the Sir Barton, Fame and Power set the tone for what became nothing more than a chase-around. The colt by First Defence   out of the Storm Cat mare Storming On grabbed the lead from post 1 and set fractions of :23.51 for the opening quarter-mile, :46.70 for the half-mile, and 1:10.25 for six furlongs as Outlash, Henry Jones, and Bold Conquest tracked him in that order.

Fame and Power was roused entering the stretch in the 1 1/16-mile race and kept going through one mile in 1:35.27. He completed the distance in 1:41.67, less than one second off the track record set by Deputed Testamony in the 1984 Preakness Stakes (gr. I).

Fame and Power, equipped with blinkers for the first time, entered the Sir Barton off of a third-place finish behind Divining Rod and Donworth in the grade III Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland. He broke his maiden prior to that at Santa Anita Park in his fifth career outing.

"We got close at Keeneland," Baffert said. "This is basically a speed horse that really should be going one turn. Going into today, we had to plan a little differently. I told (Garcia) to get out there and make them catch him."

Garcia did as Baffert asked.

"He likes to run on the lead," the jockey said. "My job was to get him to relax, be happy, and be comfortable. When it was time to kick in, he took off."

Fame and Power, bred in Kentucky by Juddmonte's Millsec division, finished three lengths ahead of Bold Conquest, who slipped through along the rail but couldn't gain on the front-runner. Bold Conquest held off Donworth, who rallied for third, by a nose.

Fame and Power paid $6, $3.60, and $2.40 across the board. Bold Conquest returned $4.80 and $2.60, while Donworth paid $2.60 to show. The $2 exacta paid $23 and the $1 trifecta $31.60.

In the Chick Lang, Holy Boss built his win streak to three with a two-length score over Victory is Sweet, with 9-5 favorite Gimme Da Lute coming four lengths back in third .

The son of Street Boss   came off a victory in the April 10 Bachelor Stakes following a March 19 allowance score there, both at the Chick Lang's six-furlong distance.

Stalking the pace of Victory is Sweet, who went a quarter in :22.45 and a half in :44.98, Holy Boss took over after five-eighths went in :56.91, drawing off in deep stretch to finish in 1:09.61 under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr.

"We got a great trip," trainer Steve Asmussen said. "He got away from the gate really cleanly. Ricky put him in a great spot and he went very well from there. I was a little concerned when they said :44 and change, but it's a good group of horses and that's what happens. This is another step up in competition for him to run so fast, and I think there will be some nice races in his future."

Off at odds of 9-2, the chestnut colt returned $11.40, $6.20, and $3.80. Victory is Sweet brought $9.60 and $5.20, while Gimmie Da Lute paid $3. Blame Jim, Hebbronville, Senor Grits, Ackeret, W V Jetsetter, We Miss Anthony, Grand Bili, and City of Vengeance completed the order of finish.

"This is a nice horse," Santana said. "I had a lot of confidence in this horse. I had a good break and was in good position going into the turn. I knew that (Victory is Sweet) was pretty quick so we just sat behind waiting to make a move. When I asked for run, I had a lot of horse in my hands. Turning for home I felt pretty good."

Holy Boss was bred in Kentucky by Adena Springs out of the Holy Bull mare Holy Grace, and was a $135,000 purchase by K D E Equine from the Adena Springs consignment at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale. The Chick Lang score improved his record to four wins and a second from seven starts, for earnings of $210,490.