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‘TDN Rising Star’ Disruptor Made Of Stern Stuff In GIII Challenger Stakes At Tampa

| 2:22 pm

By J.N. Campbell

Facing down a heavy favorite, Disruptor (Gun Runner) was extremely game down the lane in the GIII Michelob Ultra Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday.

Named a ‘TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard’, at second asking a little over a year ago when he graduated by 9 1/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park, Disruptor tried deeper waters in the GI Curlin Florida Derby and finished a well-beaten fifth.

The chestnut took a break for the rest of the year and returned to training in early December at Todd Pletcher’s South Florida base. To get ready for another crack at graded company, the 4-year-old cleared an optional claimer at Tampa Jan. 31.

As the 5-2 second choice behind chalk Disco Time (Not This Time) here, at the bell Disruptor took the lead, but a massive longshot worked his way up the rail to become the pacesetter.

When the leader began to fade, the Pletcher trainee earned the front by the far turn, but Disco Time was just to his outside to make a race of it in the straightaway.

The favorite looked to be in control inside the final furlong, but Disruptor began to put in his own rally and in the end proved stubborn. The victory was the $1.15-million Keeneland September grad’s first higher level score.

Pedigree Notes:
The Challenger hero is the 36th graded winner for his sire (by Candy Ride {Arg}) and joins a prestigious list which includes the likes of Cyberknife, Gunite, Locked, Sierra Leone and Taiba.

The winner’s dam claims Bashford Manor Stakes runner-up Wilson Q (Constitution) and the dam of current stakes placed 3-year-old colt in-training Canned Heat (Candy Ride {Arg}).

Also, Margate Gardens is responsible for 3-year-old filly in-training Yaudacity (Yaupon) and a 2-year-old filly by Audible. She was entered in the ledger of Candy Ride (Arg) for this term.

Disruptor’s second dam, SP Ellesmere (Tabasco Cat), produced Margate Gardens’s full-sister MGSW Bridgetown, and her half-sisters MSW Carnacks Choice (Carson City), MSW Clement Rock (Strong Hope) and SW Notary (Street Sense).

Of note, Disruptor’s third dam is a full-sister to GI Kentucky Derby champ Strike the Gold (Alydar).

Saturday, Tampa Bay Downs
MICHELOB ULTRA CHALLENGER S.-GIII, $100,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 3-7, 4yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:41.40, ft.
1–DISRUPTOR, 119, c, 4, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Margate Gardens, by Speightstown
                2nd Dam: Ellesmere, by Tabasco Cat
                3rd Dam: Empress Aly, by Alydar
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ‘TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard’. ($1,150,000 Ylg ’23 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable, Spendthrift Farm LLC, Big Easy Racing LLC, Titletown Racing LLC, Winners Win, Golconda Stable, Goodrich, Ali and Parkinson, Mark; B-Runnymede Farm LLC & Peter J Callahan (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $60,000. Lifetime Record: GSW, 5-3-0-1, $155,125. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Disco Time, 121, c, 4, Not This Time–Disco Chick, by Jump Start. O/B-Juddmonte (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $20,000.
3–Solo Venturi, 119, c, 4, Constitution–Solo Uno, by Medaglia d’Oro. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($1,300,000 Ylg ’23 KEESEP). O-OXO Equine LLC; B-Kindred Stables, Inc (KY); T-William Walden. $10,000.
Margins: 1, 7HF, 3/4. Odds: 2.80, 0.40, 4.30.
Also Ran: Freedom Principle, Racing Driver, Paynter’s Prodigy, Catalytic.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.