Elite Power Returns in Peak Form in True North

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Elite Power Returns in Peak Form in True North
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Photo: Mathea Kelley
Elite Power scores a handy victory in the True North Stakes at Belmont Park

With Elite Power  unraced for 15 weeks since winning the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G3) Feb. 25 in Saudi Arabia, Hall of Fame Trainer Bill Mott felt his reigning champion male sprinter was not quite ready to return in the one-mile Metropolitan Handicap (G1) June 10 but ready enough for the 6 1/2-furlong True North Stakes (G2) also on the Saturday card at Belmont Park.

Undoubtedly, ready enough. Unleashing a dramatic move leaving the second turn, Juddmonte's ace 5-year-old sprinter quickly reeled in frontrunners Today's Flavor  and Strobe  and cruised to a geared-down 1 3/4-length victory over Anarchist . Strobe was another 3 3/4 lengths back in third.


Elite Power ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.65 under Irad Ortiz Jr. following fractions set by Today's Flavor of :23.25 and :46.12. Favored Elite Power paid $3.50 to win.

"There's a theory or a thought out there that when they take those trips to the Middle East, with some people, that it takes something out of them, but it looks like he's bounced back well," Mott said.

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Bred in Kentucky by Alpha Delta Stables, the son of Curlin   out of the Vindication mare Broadway's Alibi  notched his seventh straight victory in taking the $250,000 True North and his fourth straight stakes race. Before the Riyadh Dirt Sprint, he won the 2022 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and 2022 Vosburgh Stakes (G2). He is 7-0-1 in 10 starts overall with earnings of $2,443,211.


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