Barring his disastrous start in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile last fall, Annapolis has been the picture of consistency throughout his career–never placing worse than second in seven prior starts dating back to Sept. 2021. The 'TDN Rising Star' earned success at the highest level with his win in the GI Coolmore Turf Mile S. leading into that Breeders' Cup, where a missed break derailed his race. Despite an awkward beginning to Thursday's feature race at Churchill, Annapolis was able to establish good stalking position in sixth, content to sit behind horses as Get Smokin (Get Stormy) paced the field through easy opening fractions of :24.29 and :49.33. As space opened up for his move, Annapolis swung out and swept into contention with an eye-catching rally exiting the far turn. Still hung on the outside down the lane, he took aim on late leader Churchtown and just had the time to drive by, nailing his rival in the final jumps to post the narrow victory.
“He got the job done today,” said winning jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. “Luis [Saez] was riding, and I was riding, and coming to the wire, he got his head in front. In the Breeders' Cup Mile (GI), he stumbled at the break, but I kept asking, and he kept trying. And he was facing some very good horses. It's nice to see him back and in great condition. Hopefully, he'll have another great year.”
Out of GSW/MGISP My Miss Sophia, Annapolis has a 2-year-old full-brother, Eisenhower, and a newborn half-sister by Gun Runner. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
OPENING VERSE S., $297,500, Churchill Downs, 5-4, 4yo/up, 1mT, 1:35.73, fm.
1–ANNAPOLIS, 124, c, 4, War Front–My Miss Sophia (GSW &
MGISP, $605,040), by Unbridled's Song. 'TDN Rising Star'.
O/B-Bass Stables, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.
$175,270. Lifetime Record: GISW, 9-6-2-0, $1,341,370. *Full to
Nevisian Sunrise, SP, $196,180.
2–Churchtown, 120, g, 4, Air Force Blue–Complicated, by
Blame. ($65,000 RNA Wlg '19 KEENOV; $40,000 RNA Ylg '20
KEESEP). O/B-William Harrigan & Mike Pietrangelo (KY);
T-Roger L. Attfield. $56,700.
3–Set Piece (GB), 120, g, 7, Dansili (GB)–Portodora, by
Kingmambo. O/B-Juddmonte Farms (East) Ltd (GB); T-Brad H.
Cox. $25,850.
Margins: HD, 2, HD. Odds: 0.83, 7.88, 3.70.
Also Ran: English Bee, Stitched, Get Smokin, Kentucky Ghost, Time to Party, Gray's Fable, Camp Hope, Native Thunder. Scratched: Sky and Sand.
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