Catholic Boy proved he was not just a turf horse with a decisive score in his main track debut in Saturday's Remsen. Running off the rail, the 4-1 shot bided his time in mid-pack as longshots Bandito (Creative Cause) and Millionaire Runner (Warrior's Reward) battled through opening splits of :23.98 and :48.97. Advancing four-wide on the backstretch run, the bay took control at the top of the stretch and rolled clear to a dominant victory. Favored GII Nashua S. hero Avery Island completed the exacta.
“I just followed the instructions,” jockey Manny Franco said. “The trainer told me to break out of there running and to try and get some position early on into the first turn. The horse put me in a good position and when I called on him to run he just went.”
“We were really happy with how he exited the Breeders' Cup and, to us, he galloped out very well in that race and indicated that he wanted more ground,” said winning trainer Jonathan Thomas. “The day after that race, he was very lively and looked like he exited well, so knowing that he would get the trip and that there was a direct flight here, we brought him here and were able to get two nice works into him on the dirt [at Belmont Park training track] and he did that well. We came over here quietly confident that he would show us a little something, but we never expected that.”
As for what's next, Thomas said, “I don't have any idea of what race we'll look at next. If we were going to pump the brakes and give him a little breather it's certainly the right time of year. He's going to go back to Bridlewood, my main training hub, and probably get a couple of quiet weeks and we'll go from there. We'd definitely contemplate coming back to [New York].”
As for the beaten favorite, Godolphin USA President Jimmy Bell said, “He's a big colt, he's still learning. But from the standpoint of 'did you take a step forward?' I think he probably did. It doesn't always come in a winning race, but he grew up some today. Those were all positive signs.”
Donning cap and gown by two lengths in his career bow over the Gulfstream lawn July 20, Catholic Boy followed suit with a 12-1 upset in Saratoga's grassy GIII With Anticipation S. Aug. 30. One of the buzz horses in the morning during Breeders' Cup week at Del Mar, the Bob LaPenta colorbearer finished a respectable fourth in the Nov. 3 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf behind Keeneland September Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy), a half-brother to four-time Eclipse winner Beholder (Henny Hughes) and GISW sire Into Mischief.
Pedigree Notes:
Catholic Boy is by versatile international sire More Than Ready, who was represented by two Breeders' Cup winners last month in GI Sprint victor Roy H and undefeated “TDN Rising Star” and GI Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Rushing Fall. His dam Song of Bernadette (Bernardini), a half-sister to SW Return to Paradise (El Prado {Ire}), produced a Super Saver colt Apr. 10, 2016 and a Carpe Diem filly on the same exact day this year. She was bred back to GI Preakness S. winner Exaggerator.
REMSEN S.-GII, $250,000, AQU, 12-2, 2yo, 1 1/8m, 1:52.50, ft.
1–CATHOLIC BOY, 120, c, 2, by More Than Ready
1st Dam: Song of Bernadette, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: Winner's Edge, by Seeking the Gold
3rd Dam: Lucky Us, by Nijinsky II
($170,000 RNA Ylg '16 KEEJAN). O-Robert V. LaPenta; B-Fred
W. Hertrich III & John D. Fielding (KY); T-Jonathan Thomas;
J-Manuel Franco. $150,000. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 4-3-0-0,
$314,000. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”winaward-40k”][bullet ad=”kbif-g2g3″]2—Avery Island, 122, c, 2, Street Sense–Kinda Spicy, by A.P.
Indy. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Kiaran P. McLaughlin. $50,000.
3–Vouch, 118, c, 2, Yes It's True–Justmeandmyshadow, by
Tiznow. ($230,000 Wlg '15 KEENOV). O-Lael Stables & Three
Chimneys Farm; B-Fedai Kahraman (KY); T-Arnaud Delacour.
$25,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, 1 3/4, 4 3/4. Odds: 4.10, 2.20, 11.60.
Also Ran: Alkhaatam, Tap Rap Strike, Biblical, Millionaire Runner, Triple Dog Dare, V. I. P. Code, Bandito. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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