Ticonderoga Powerful in Palm Beach

Woodford Racing's Ticonderoga ran off the bench and into the winner's circle March 4 at Gulfstream Park, taking the $100,000 Palm Beach Stakes (G3T) with a powerful rally. 

The win marked a double on the card for Woodford and trainer Chad Brown after an earlier score with their Hard Spun   colt Timeline at first asking.

"Great people to train for," Brown said. "They have a lot of patience and they send some nice horses to us, so we're lucky."

Racing for the first time since a fourth in the Nov. 4 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T), 3-year-old Ticonderoga picked up his first graded score. The Tapit   colt was second in the Dixiana Bourbon Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland after breaking his maiden, and could return to the Lexington oval for the April 7 Transylvania Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3T) en route to an eventual target of the July 8 Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T).

"We're going to try to stretch him out eventually," Brown said. "If he can go a mile and a quarter, the Belmont Derby would be the goal."

Off a step slow from the outside post in the 1 1/16-mile Palm Beach under first-time jockey Joel Rosario, Ticonderoga was content to settle at the back of the pack while Sailing Home showed the way through opening fractions of :23.34, :47.58, and 1:11.22. Kitten's Cat was in close persuit and took over around the turn for home, but Ticonderoga was mounting a bid from second-to-last in the field of nine.

“He broke fine and he kind of settled himself," Rosario said. "I think that’s the way he likes to run. I just gave him a chance ... stayed inside and saved a little ground, and it opened up. He was just much the best horse today. He’s a very talented horse.”

Shifted three wide by Rosario and with significant ground to make up on Kitten's Cat, Ticonderoga powered down the stretch through a 1:34.62 mile and hit the wire clear by a length. Kitten's Cat held second, while Snap Decision got third. The final time was 1:40.38 on firm turf.

“I’m so proud of him," Brown said. "He’s kind of a quirky horse. He was tough to figure out. We’ve made some changes with equipment. I’m just proud of the horse. He’s really matured mentally. It’s the first time Joel has been on him. I gave him a little history about him and he executed it perfectly."

Ticonderoga returned $7, $4, and $2.80 as the 5-2 choice. Kitten's Cat brought $5.40 and $3.20, and Snap Decision paid $2.80. Completing the order of finish were Sailing Home, Giant Payday, Adonis Creed, Cowboy Culture, Channel Maker, and Pagliacci.

Ticonderoga was bred in Kentucky by Bryant H. Prentice III and is the first foal out of the multiple graded stakes-winning Johar mare Keertana, who in 2017 delivered a War Front   colt. Ticonderoga was a $850,000 purchase from the Denali Stud consignment to the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale. He improved his record to two wins and two seconds from five starts, for earnings of $221,120.