Unified Makes Grade in Bay Shore

Centennial Farms' Unified went from debut winner to grade III winner in the $300,000 Bay Shore Stakes for 3-year-olds April 9 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

 

The son of hot sire Candy Ride   vied for command out of the gate with King Kranz and settled into a comfortable lead as that rival pressed from second. 

 

The winner had a clear lead into the stretch and continued on strongly to win by three lengths. He covered seven furlongs in 1:22.86 over a muddy track. King Kranz held for second, and Cocked and Loaded finished third.

 

With King Kranz pressing a half-length back, Unified clocked fractions of :22.65 and :45.88 for a half mile before shaking free by two lengths into the stretch.

 

"When I asked him to go at the quarter pole, I knew if he kept going at that pace he was going to win," Ortiz said. "I think he is really, really nice. Now he's got two races that prove that. The horses with five or six races under their belts—he with just one race—he beat them." 

 

Unified was sent off the 6-5 favorite after taking his debut by an impressive three lengths going six furlongs Feb. 21 at Gulfstream Park for trainer Jimmy Jerkins and four subsequent bullet workouts at Palm Meadows.

 

Unified paid $4.40, $3.30, and $2.50, King Kranz returned $6.50 and $3.70, and Cocked and Loaded paid $3.10 to show.

 

Bred in Kentucky by Blue Devil Racing Stable, Unified is out of stakes-placed Dixie Union mare Union City. A half brother to Canadian stakes-placed Honkeytonk Man, he was a $325,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase from consignor Lane's End, agent.