Report: Classic Causeway Transferred To McPeek

Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway), winner of this year's GIII Sam F. Davis S. and GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby, has been transferred from trainer Brian Lynch to Ken McPeek, Daily Racing Form reports.

One of just three members from his sire's final crop, the chestnut was a splashy Saratoga debut winner last September before finishing third to Rattle N Roll (Connect) in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity and to 'TDN Rising Star' Smile Happy (Runhappy) in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. Both winners are trained by McPeek.

A disappointing 11th as a 7-2 chance in the GI Curlin Florida Derby following his exploits on Florida's Gulf Coast, Classic Causeway was expected to bypass the GI Kentucky Derby, but Lynch deferred to the colts owners. The typically speedy Classic Causeway raced nowhere near the pace in the Derby and finished an even 11th.

“You're always sorry to see a horse of his caliber leave the barn,” Lynch told the Form. “I wish him and the connections nothing but the best.”

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The Week in Review: Charge It Looks Like a Future Star

No matter how talented a horse might be, going from a maiden win into a race like the GI Curlin Florida Derby is supposed to be too much to ask. You're not seasoned, experienced or battle tested, and those things matter. That's why I thought 3-1 was a ridiculous price on Charge It (Tapit) in Saturday's Florida Derby. Was I ever wrong.

After finishing second in his debut in January, the Todd Pletcher-trained colt returned Feb. 12 to win a Gulfstream maiden by 8 1/2 lengths. It was a big effort and it earned him a 93 Beyer and the 'TDN Rising Star' designation, which put him in the same ballpark as many of the top 3-year-old colts out there. But he hadn't beaten anything of note and, in the Florida Derby, would be going up against some of the stars of the 3-year-old division. Simplification (Not This Time) was coming off a win in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S., White Abarrio (Race Day) had won the GIII Holy Bull S. and Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) was coming off back-to-back wins in the GIII Sam F. Davis S. and the GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby. All three looked like legitimate candidates for the GI Kentucky Derby.

Charge It didn't win. He finished second behind White Abarrio, losing by 1 1/4 lengths. He finished a length in front of third-place finisher Simplification.

But his race was better than it looks. He ran like a horse who doesn't have the game figured out yet. White Abarrio got the jump on him on the far turn and assumed command after getting past Simplification and Pappacap (Gun Runner), but Charge It was far from done. By the sixteenth-pole, Charge It had moved into second and had about two lengths to make up. From there to the wire, he ran like a big goofball.

Here's the footnote from the race: “…(Charge It) angled four wide near the quarter pole, lugged in under right-handed urging in upper stretch then again near the sixteenth pole, angled back outside of the winner leaving the sixteenth marker, switched back to the left lead and inched closer while still appearing to try to lug in under hand urging.”

“Super pleased with the effort,” Pletcher said. “To get a real education in a race like that was very encouraging. He got a little green down the lane. He kind of drifted in behind [White Abarrio] and felt like if he could have just run straight that last 100 yards, he was going to be right there. But I thought it was a huge effort, considering everything. Overcame some adversity, took some dirt, and did a lot of things right. Just didn't quite polish it off.”

Said jockey Luis Saez, “He was a little bit everywhere at the top of the stretch, but, man, he has so much talent. I think he got a good education from this race. He's going to be a nice horse.”

Charge It figures to benefit immensely from the experience and run even better in the Derby. That doesn't mean he will win the Derby, where he will face a field even tougher than the one he squared off against Saturday at Gulfstream, and his inexperience remains a factor. But by year's end, after races like the GI Runhappy Travers S. and the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, who will be regarded as the top member of this division? Charge It will absolutely be part of the conversation.

That would be good news for owner Mandy Pope, who has spent millions at the sales, primarily on broodmares, but has yet to come up with her first star. She bought Charge It's dam, I'll Take Charge (Indian Charlie), for $2.2 million at the 2013 Keeneland September sale. I'll Take Charge is a half-sister to Grade I stakes winner Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy) and Grade I winner and Eclipse Award champion Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song). I'll Take Charge won only one of five career starts, earning just $82,400, but seems ready to pay her owner back with what could be a stellar career as a broodmare.

Classic Causeway's Race is a Mystery

Sent off at 7-2 in the Florida Derby, Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) had been among the more consistent members of the 3-year-old colt division, which makes his clunker in Saturday's race all the more perplexing. The winner of the GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby led early on but was all done on the far turn. He finished 11thh and last, beaten 21 1/4 lengths.

The race left his trainer, Brian Lynch, to guess what happened.

“Everything seems good. He scoped good and came back good this morning,” Lynch said. “It's a bit of a head-scratcher. We'll digest it and go on from there. Everything is up in the air now. We'll let the dust settle and we'll make a decision in a few days.”

Secret Oath to the Kentucky Oaks

Trainer Wayne Lukas confirmed Sunday that Secret Oath (Arrogate) will go next in the GI Kentucky Oaks after finishing a game third against the boys Saturday in the GI Arkansas Derby.

“I don't want to run her in a 20-horse field and at an extra eighth of a mile,” Lukas said. “That would be asking a lot of her. We'll look at the Oaks and see what we can do after that. I'm not saying we won't step outside the box again at some time. But at this point the Oaks is the logical place to go.”

Lukas has nothing to apologize for. The 7-5 favorite in a $1.25-million race with Kentucky Derby points up for grabs, Secret Oath was last down the backstretch before launching an eye-catching six-wide move on the far turn. She swept past horses, but simply couldn't keep it up. Nonetheless, it was a big effort.

“For her, the race didn't come together smoothly like we would have liked it,” Lukas said. “She got shuffled back at the start and down the backside that horse [Ben Diesel] was laying on us a little bit and we couldn't get away from him. That monster move that she made on the far turn, you had to expect her to flatten out in the last sixteenth. If she could have made that move all the way to the wire we would be open to the world. She made a beautiful move for roughly three-eighths. It was a monster move.”

In the Oaks, Secret Oath will vie for favoritism with Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), last year's 2-year-old filly champion and the recent winner of the GII Fair Grounds Oaks.

Uriah St. Lewis Does It Again

Parx-based trainer Uriah St. Lewis came into Saturday's card at Aqueduct with a record of 0-for-30 on the year, not really a surprise since he is a low-percentage trainer. He may not win a lot, but he somehow finds a way to get the most out of horses who aren't that talented.

For the St. Lewis-trained Forewarned (Flat Out), the bottom line is that the Ohio-bred 7-year-old has now earned $870,883 in his career. That's his total after he won Saturday's $150,000 GIII Excelsior S. Saturday at Aqueduct. This is what St. Louis does. He runs his horses, by modern day standards, often and isn't afraid to throw them into races where they appear to be in over their heads. Last year, Forewarned won the Queens County S. at Aqueduct at odds of 42-1.

Then there's Discreet Lover (Repent). St. Lewis ran him in the 2018 GI Jockey Club Gold Cup when it looked like he didn't have a prayer. All he did was win at odds of 45-1 to earn $433,125. He retired in 2020 with $1,452,735 in career earnings.

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On to Derby for White Abarrio

White Abarrio (Race Day) came out of his victory in Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby in fine shape and will now be aimed at the GI Kentucky Derby, trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. confirmed Sunday.

“He was further back than we envisioned and to see him be able to sit back that far off the pace and make his move, it gives you a lot of confidence, because you know he can run close to the pace and now sit back and be as effective,” Joseph said of his charge's Florida Derby win.

White Abarrio, third in last year's GII Kentucky Jockey Club S., is now two-for-two at three. He opened the year with a 4 1/2-length victory in the Feb. 5 GIII Holy Bull S.

Saffie said he continues to see improvement in the gray colt.

“Physically, he's not an overly big horse. He's filled out and he's grown a bit. He's a changed horse,” Joseph said. “He's changed from November to now, and he's showing it on the track. That's what you want. You want to be improving at this time of year. I feel he's making forward progressions.”

Whisper Hill Farm's Charge It (Tapit) came up with a gritty performance against more experienced colts while finishing second in the Florida Derby in only his third career start. The Todd Pletcher trainee, who hit the gate at the start, made a solid run at White Abarrio before racing greenly in the stretch.

“To get a real education in a race like that was very encouraging. He got a little green down the lane. He kind of drifted in behind that horse and I felt like if he could have just run straight that last 100 yards, he was going to be right there. But I thought it was a huge effort, considering everything,” said Pletcher, who added the Kentucky Derby will be under consideration for the well-bred colt.

Also aiming for the Kentucky Derby is the Florida Derby's third-place finisher Simplification (Not This Time).

“I am so happy with the race because the horse ran well and came back well,” trainer Antonio Sano said.

Simplification was second to White Abarrio in the Holy Bull before winning the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S.

“The plan was to be up front, but the pressure from Pappacap outside made Jose [Ortiz] move the horse before it was time,” Sano said. “It was a good field and my horse ran very good. In the Kentucky Derby, I believe he will run great.”

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Florida’s Best Face Off in FL Derby

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL–The three winners of Florida's four previous GI Kentucky Derby prep races meet Saturday as they make their final starts ahead of the First Saturday in May in Gulfstream's GI Curlin Florida Derby.

Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) ruled the Tampa Bay Downs preps, scoring decisive victories in both the GIII Sam F. Davis S. Feb. 12 and the GII Tampa Bay Derby Mar. 12. He hit the board in all three of his juvenile races, starting with a dominant debut at Saratoga Sept. 4. Finishing third after setting the pace in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity S. at Keeneland Oct. 9, he was a good second in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 27.

Irad Ortiz, who rode Classic Causeway to victory in both Tampa races, will remain aboard for Saturday's test. Conditioner Brian Lynch said he will leave the race in that leading rider's hands.

“Irad and Classic Causeway have some kind of chemistry there,” Lynch said. “They've got it going on. I'm not going to get involved too much. He's ridden him well the last two times. He is a good gate horse, so I am sure he is going to break running and I will let Irad take it from there.”

Classic Causeway's good gate speed usually leaves him on or near the front end. With a few other speedy runners signed on, it could set things up for Simplification (Not This Time), whose last two stellar efforts came from back off the pace. A front-running winner of the local Mucho Macho Man S. on New Year's Day, the bay was tossing his head when the gates sprang in the Feb. 5 GIII Holy Bull S. and got away last of them all. He rallied in the lane, but refused to switch leads, just holding off favorite Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) to be second to White Abarrio (Race Day). Away better next out under new pilot in Jose Ortiz, Simplification settled in mid-pack and made a wide late run to take the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. by 3 1/2 lengths, earning a 96 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I'm very happy with the way he is coming into the race,” Ortiz said. “He has two great works [5f in :59 4/5 Mar. 26 and 5f in 1:01 4/5 Mar. 19]. There seems like there will be some pace in the race. The main thing for us will be to have a good start and get good position.”

White Abarrio was a well-beaten third behind Classic Causeway in the Kentucky Jockey Club after winning his first two starts at Gulfstream last year. He opened his 2022 account with a dominant score in the Holy Bull, stalking and pouncing his way to a 4 1/2-length success. Connections decided to bypass the Fountain of Youth to give the colt more time after a minor illness and he spiked another fever last week, but connections report he is back to normal. (Read more in Friday's C2 Racing Stable feature).

Six-time Florida Derby winner Todd Pletcher steps an impressive maiden winner up to the big leagues here in Charge It (Tapit). Missing by just a neck in his Jan. 8 unveiling here, the gray zipped home to an 8 1/2-length graduation next out going a mile at this oval Feb. 12, good for a 93 Beyer Speed Figure.

“This is a big step up off of two starts,” Pletcher said. “He's been very impressive, not only in his training, but in his maiden win and I thought even in his debut, even though he didn't win. It was a strong race. We think he has the talent for it. Hopefully he has enough experience and seasoning because we are giving up a lot of that to some nice horses. We are optimistic at the same time.”

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