5th-Del Mar, $81,500, Msw, 8-20, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:03.95, ft, 2 1/2 lengths.
CLASSICAL CAT (c, 2, Mendelssohn–Conquest Strate Up {SW, $192,984}, by Not Bourbon), away as the second choice at odds of 5-1 for his career bow, broke a bit to his right from the widest post before settling in to stalk the pace while racing five wide up the backstretch. Tucked in to save ground along the rail as they raced around the turn, he inched up on the dueling leaders and was tipped out three deep to launch his challenge passing the quarter pole. He gained an advantage in upper stretch, darted clear into the final eighth and was kept under a drive to the line to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Hejazi (Bernardini), the $3.55 million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic topper, was off a half-step slowly, led briefly and was eased back to race behind the leaders to the turn. Eased out in upper stretch, the New York-bred chased gamely but was forced to settle for second as the 2-5 favorite. Classical Cat, the ninth winner for his freshman sire (by Scat Daddy), hails from the extended female family of dual horse of the year and leading sire Curlin (Smart Strike). His dam is also responsible for the 3-year-old filly Freedom Isnt Free (Practical Joke) a yearling filly by Hard Spun and a weanling colt by Tiz the Law. She was bred back to Tiz the Law for the 2023 season. Classical Cat's owner Michael House is also a partner on Saturday's GI Alabama S. romper Nest (Curlin). Sales History: $65,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $48,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Michael House; B-Pippa's Hurricane LLC (KY); T-Philip D'Amato.
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