Scalding continued his progression up the class ladder Saturday and showed determination in edging favorite Cody's Wish by a neck in the $100,000 Michelob Ultra Challenger Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.
The Challenger marked the stakes debut for Scalding, a 3-year-old Nyquist colt who proved up to the task under Javier Castellano. He tracked from third early, about four lengths behind pacesetter Wolfie's Dynaghost before closing in on that rival while moving inward through the far turn. He bid between foes nearing upper stretch to take a slim lead just as Cody's Wish launched a strong rally to his outside. Wolfie's Dynaghost began to fade with a furlong to run and Cody's Wish proved a dogged competitor in the stretch drive, but he could not get past the winner.
With Castellano's encouragement, Scalding finished 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.53 on a track rated as good and returned $12. Cody's Wish was 2 ¼ lengths clear of third-place finisher Dynamic One.
“I like the way he did it today,” Castellano said. “He's straightforward. When I asked him he responded really well. He passed the pacemaker and the horses on the lead and he was comfortable coming from behind. I like the way he finished.”
Trained by Shug McGaughey for Grandview Equine, Cheyenne Stable, and LNJ Foxwoods, Scalding is perfect in three starts this year, including an allowance/optional claiming win at the same distance at the Oldsmar, Fla. track Feb. 11. He has an overall record of 3-1-0 from five starts.
“It's a big job going from an allowance/other than condition to this spot, but we've always liked this horse,” McGaughey said of Scalding, who was bred by Godolphin and Cobalt Investments from the Medaglia d'Oro mare Hot Water. “He has been training forwardly and from what we saw today, his future is definitely (bright). He had a race over the track and I think that probably helped him. He is a pretty talented number and his last two races had been so good, with a little encouragement from the owners we decided to take a shot, and it worked.”
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