Champagne Stakes is Next Step for I Spent It

By Jerry Bossert

Trainer Tony Dutrow isn't sure if I Spent It will start in the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I). He's just focused on Saturday's $500,000 Champagne Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park.

The Oct. 4 Champagne is a "Win and You're In" race, with the winner earning an automatic berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita Park, plus paid starting and entry fees along with a travel stipend.

"I don't know, I don't know," Dutrow said about the Breeders' Cup as a potential target for I Spent It. "He's a very good horse and we're very happy with him."

I Spent It, who is owned by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong and Three Chimneys, made quite the impression in his first start when he rallied late to prevail by three-quarters of a length at Belmont July 2.

The 2-year-old colt by 2010 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Super Saver   then raised even more eyebrows in the Aug. 10 Saratoga Special (gr. II) when he overcame heavy traffic late before finding room along the rail late to prevail by 2 3/4 lengths.

"He broke his maiden the right way the first time out," Dutrow said. "We were pleased with his first career start and that led us to the Saratoga Special and he did very well in that race with limited seasoning and overcame adversity and performed very well there."

From there his connections decided to try the Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Sept. 1, when the colt was second best behind runaway winner Competitive Edge after breaking slowly.

"He was just out of sorts in the paddock and the post parade," Dutrow said. "He was upset."

I Spent It will break from post 3 among six entered in the Champagne and was made 6-1 on the morning line. He will have a new rider in Jose Lezcano, replacing Javier Castellano.

Castellano rides the 2-1 morning line favorite in the Champagne Stakes, Daredevil, who will break from the outside post in the 6-horse field.

Daredevil is stepping up off of an impressive debut score at Belmont Sept. 13, when he scored by 6 1/4 lengths over a muddy track.

 "We've had success a couple of times running horses out of a maiden race in the Champagne," said trainer Todd Pletcher, who has saddled the winner of the Champagne Stakes five times. "It's always an advantage to maybe have another start or two under your belt when you're going into these races, but hopefully what he lacks in experience he'll make up for in talent."

Pletcher's five Champagne winners are Proud Accolade (2004), Scat Daddy   (2006), Uncle Mo   (2010), Shanghai Bobby   (2012) and Havana (2013).

Both Uncle Mo and Havana won the Champagne after breaking their maiden in their prior start.

Zayat's Stables' El Kabeir is also stepping up off a solid maiden score when he prevailed by 10 3/4 lengths at Saratoga Aug. 30. He drew the rail in the one-mile race for trainer John Terranova II and was made the 5-2 second-choice on the morning line. Irad Ortiz Jr. will have the mount.

Upstart (7-2), unbeaten in two starts, comes off a victory in the Funny Cide Stakes for New York-breds, while Holy Boss (5-1) and The Truth Or Else exit maiden victories.