Last of six runners in the early going, Blazing Sevens uncoiled a determined outside rally in the stretch and won the $500,000 Champagne (G1) for 2-year-olds by 3 1/4 lengths Saturday at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet.
With Flavien Prat riding for trainer Chad Brown, Blazing Sevens covered one mile on a sloppy (sealed) in 1:37.07
Verifying was second, ,and favorite Gulfport was third. Early pacesetter Andiamo a Firenze faded to fourth.
The Champagne is a Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win And You're In” qualifier, providing Blazing Sevens an automatic, fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) Nov. 4 at Keeneland.
Rodeo Creek Racing's Blazing Sevens became the fourth Champagne winner for Brown, who captured the race previously with Practical Joke [2016], Complexity [2018] and Jack Christopher [2021].
Blazing Sevens' victory provided Hill 'n' Dale Farms' first-crop sire Good Magic his first Grade 1 winner. He returned $19.
Blazing Sevens made his first two career starts at Saratoga, garnering an 85 Beyer in his 6 1/4-length maiden score on July 24. He followed with a distant third in the Hopeful (G1) there on Sept. 5 but was ready to win in a top effort Saturday.
G1 Champagne Quotes
A “Win And You're In” for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile
Chad Brown, winning trainer of Blazing Sevens (No. 5, $19): “It's such a reward because he [Good Magic, sire of Blazing Sevens] was unlucky in the [2017] Champagne himself. I thought he was very unlucky, actually. It was some good karma for us today that his son was able to get his head in front in the Champagne and win like he did. He's been a wonderful horse to get along with. He's all class. I want to thank Pete Bradley for picking him out and John and Carla Capek, the owners. This is their second year in owning horses and they're lovely people, very deserving. If he comes out healthy, it's on to the Breeders' Cup.
On the sloppy and sealed main track: “I was worried. After the Hopeful, I told the owners I was planning on going to the Breeders' Futurity [at Keeneland] and I called an audible last week after his work. I felt like he was doing so well and a legit Breeders' Cup candidate. I was dying to get him around two turns, but I would rather have the five week's rest and not four. So I decided to ship him here and, sure enough, the hurricane came north and I was sick over it the last two days. I was already committed here, so I stuck with it and thankfully, he handled the mud here today. Maybe it was a Saratoga thing last time, I'm not really sure. He didn't run bad last time, he just wasn't himself. Today, he was moving through perfectly.
“My only cause for concern was when he went inside on the turn, I commented to the owners during the race that at least he's getting a clean trip on the outside and moving into the clear. Well, when he moved to the inside I didn't know if it was going to work out when he start getting splattered with mud. He persevered and moved through it and when he [Flavien Prat] got him clean again in the stretch, he certainly looked good.
On his third-place effort in the Grade 1 Hopeful: “I could tell he hated the track. The fact that he got third and galloped out OK was amazing because Manny [Franco] told us that day he hated the track and that he never felt good under him. These young horses, you're always learning about. They're going to catch different surfaces. These are inexperienced horses and you're going to learn a lot about them as you go. Sometimes it's going to go your way and other times you're going to have to retreat. Today, it went our way and this horse moved forward.
“He's looking for two turns, this horse. I can't wait to get him around two turns; you just need everything to go right. He's got some time with five weeks. We have to get through a lot of hurdles, he needs to ship good, get a good post and all those things. This isn't our first rodeo, so hopefully he can emulate his daddy and cap off a championship year with a win in the Breeders' Cup.”
Flavien Prat, winning jockey aboard Blazing Sevens (No. 5): “He had a good trip. He broke well and he got himself into the race. I was traveling really well on the backside and decided to drop myself in and try to save some ground a bit. He was traveling really well all the way around and when I tipped him out and he changed leads, he really changed gears as well.
“We really felt the horse would like the distance. We were hoping for some solid pace and hopefully it would come back for him today to make a run, and that's what happened. The pace was pretty fair. I think he jumped well getting himself into the race without me rushing him, so I think that was key today.”
On his wide run down the stretch: “I was going to go around [to the outside] but turning for home it felt like the inside kind of shifted out and I got a little wider than I wanted to. But that was my game plan and that point I was already committed.
Joel Rosario, jockey aboard runner-up Verifying (No. 3): “He was handling it fine, but getting into the turn I had to ride him a little bit to get him going. He got a little laid back at that point, but he did great. He looked like he was going to go on. But it was his first time going long so it was a good effort I thought.”
Jose Ortiz, jockey aboard third-place Gulfport (No. 6): “I just think he didn't love the wet track. He didn't love it last time at Saratoga and he didn't love it today. He was off the bit too early. I had to start asking him a little before the three-eighths pole and it took him a while to get running. I want to see him run on a dry track and we'll go from there.
“He stayed there and never quit on me, but he's been unlucky with the weather the last two times.”
Winning margin: 3 1/4 lengths
Final time (one mile): 1:37.07
Fractions: 23.32, 47.09, 1:11.86
Full order of finish: 5-3-6-1-4-2
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