Free Drop Billy Rolls to Breeders' Futurity Victory

At home in Kentucky, Albaugh Family Stables' Free Drop Billy rolled to an easy win as the favorite in the $500,000 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) Oct. 7 at Keeneland.

Trained by Kentucky-based Dale Romans, Free Drop Billy ran well at Saratoga Race Course this summer, finishing second to Firenze Fire in the Sanford Stakes (G3) and missing victory by just a neck in the Hopeful Stakes (G1) when second to Sporting Chance.

Racing in Kentucky Saturday for the first time since his three-length maiden special victory in June at Churchill Downs, Free Drop Billy delivered the top performance of his career as he quickly opened a wide advantage in early stretch and sustained that run to the wire to post about a four-length victory. The son of Union Rags  completed the 1 1/16-mile test for 2-year-olds in 1:45.43.

With the win, Romans picked up his fourth Breeders' Futurity victory since 2005 when he won with Dawn of War. He followed with scores by Dullahan in 2011 and Brody's Cause in 2015.

The race unfortunately saw the catastrophic injury of grade 3 winner Ten City, who fractured his left front leg soon after seizing the lead in the far turn. He was euthanized after the race. 

The Breeders' Futurity is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race, earning the winner a fees-paid spot in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Del Mar.

The Breeders' Futurity also is a 2018 Kentucky Derby Championship Series Prep Season race, awarding 10 points to the winner, four points to the runner-up, two points to the third-place finisher, and one point to the fourth-place finisher.

Free Drop Billy was followed home by longshot Bravazo, a Calumet Farm homebred trained by D. Wayne Lukas. G M B Racing's Lone Sailor finished third. Free Drop Billy paid $5, $3.80, and $2.80 across the board while Bravazo returned $25.20 to place and $12.80 to show. Lone Sailor returned $8.80 to show. 

This story will be updated.