A trio of 'TDN Rising Stars' dive right into the deep end following impressive maiden wins in Saturday's GII Best Pal S. at Del Mar.
Big League (Speightstown) returns on short notice to take on five rivals here. The Rockingham Ranch runner, acquired privately for $100,000 at OBS March, dueled his way clear to graduate in style by 3 1/4 lengths under minimal urging in his 5 1/2-furlong debut at Del Mar July 30. Entered in the Barretts May sale, Big League worked a quarter-mile bullet in :20 3/5 and would have been the second-most expensive horse sold there had he not RNA'd for $275,000.
Klimt (Quality Road), fourth as the 9-5 chalk in a live maiden special weight at Santa Anita on debut June 25 (the runner-up that day Chasing Aces (Flatter) returned with a 'Rising Star' performance of his own at Del Mar July 17), romped by 5 1/4 lengths to earn his diploma like a good thing in Arcadia July 10. The $435,000 OBSMAR graduate, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, worked a best-of-eight six-furlong bullet in 1:12 2/5 at Del Mar July 27 for his first attempt beyond 5 1/2 furlongs.
Thirstforlife (Stay Thirsty) turned some heads to finish a rallying third after missing the break in his unveiling at odds of 5-2 in the Kentucky Juvenile S. at Churchill May 5. He won like a 1-10 shot should in a five-furlong maiden special weight in Louisville most recently June 4. He posted five workouts beneath the Twin Spires in July, including a five-furlong breeze in 1:00 2/5 (2/14) July 24.
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