In addition, trainer Phil D'Amato was fined $1,000 and owners Scott Anasstasi, Jimmy Ukegawa and Tony Valazazz had to forfeit $194,000 in purse earnings. D'Amato and the owners waived their right to a formal hearing.

The Blood-Horse was the first to report the story.

Mofebutazone is a drug used for joint and muscular pain, but is not approved by the Federal Drug Administration for use in any species. Because it is not FDA approved, it is considered a banned substance under the Horse Racing Safety and Integrity Act (HISA). However, HISA's Anti-Doping and Medication Control Program did not go into effect until May 22. Had HISA rules been in place, D'Amato could have been charged with using a banned substance, which can result in a suspension of up two years and a $25,000 fine.

At deadline for this story, D'Amato's attorney Darrell Vienna had not returned a phone call from the TDN. He told the Blood-Horse, “We presented some evidence and it was reviewed by the stewards,” Vienna said. “Based upon the specific facts and circumstances in the case, the stewards reached what in my opinion was a fair and appropriate decision. What we're talking about is a substance that is essentially very weak (phenylbutazone). The substance, to my client's knowledge, he neither administered nor caused it to be administered. It was basically of unknown origin.”

This was the third disqualification from a race run during Kentucky Derby week due to a drug positive. In 2020, Gamine (Into Mischief) was disqualified after crossing the wire third in the GI Kentucky Oaks after testing positive for betamethasone for trainer Bob Baffert. The following year, the Baffert-trained Medina Spirit (Protonico) also tested positive for betamethasone after crossing the wire first in the GI Kentucky Derby. Owner Amr Zedan is still contesting Medina Spirit's disqualification in court.

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Exchanging bumps at the break with Earls Rock (Ire) (Fascinating Rock {Ire}), Up to the Mark settled in a midfield fifth for the run past the stands first time around, as Bye Bye Melvin (Uncle Mo) crossed from his outside draw and led from defending champion Santin (Medaglia d'Oro). Traveling in a nice rhythm down the backstretch, Up To the Mark commenced a rally leaving the three-furlong peg and had the leaders in the crosshairs at the quarter pole. Four wide at the head of the lane as Santin displaced Bye Bye Melvin at the head of affairs, the $450,000 Keeneland September yearling hit the front under a right-handed stick outside the eighth pole and ran out a convincing winner over Hong Kong Harry (Ire) (Es Que Love {Ire}). Spooky Channel (English Channel) just outfinished Ocean Atlantique (American Pharoah) for third.

A maiden winner in five starts on the dirt to begin his career, Up to the Mark looked reinvented when hacking up by four lengths when trying the grass for the first time at Gulfstream Jan. 28. Doubling up at the next allowance level Mar. 4, he was bet all the way down into 5-1 against the likes of Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Apr. 14 GI Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland and just missed second behind the Eclipse Award winner.

“It unfolded beautifully,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, winning a third Turf Classic. “He got a really good trip, was able to save a little ground. The horse relaxed nicely and had a good turn of foot when called upon. We'll probably go to the [June 10 GI Resorts World Casino] Manhattan [S.] on Belmont Day next.”

Pedigree Notes:

Up to the Mark is the 25th stakes winner, 11th graded winner and fifth Grade I winner for Not This Time and his first on the turf. He is the Taylor Made stallion's second top-level scorer of 2023, joining Dubai Golden Shaheen hero Sibelius. Ghostzapper's daughters have now produced 33 BTWs, 18 GSWs and five Grade I winners, two others of which descend from the Storm Cat sire line and one of which is 2018 Derby winner Justify (Scat Daddy).

Up to the Mark is out of an unraced daughter of Robert and Lawana Lows' 1996 GI Test S. winner Capote Belle, who also produced SW & GSP Zapper Belle (Ghostzapper) and Gata Bella (Storm Cat), the dam of MGSW/MGISP Catapult (Kitten's Joy) and SW Ha Ha Tonka (Distorted Humor).

The 9-year-old Belle's Finale, who was purchased by Ramspring Farm carrying a year-older full-brother to Up to the Mark for $70,000 at Keeneland November in 2017, is also the dam of the 3-year-old filly Cookie Crumbs (Mendelssohn), a 2-year-old West Coast filly, a yearling colt by McKinzie and a Maxfield colt foaled Apr. 12.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
OLD FORESTER BOURBON TURF CLASSIC S.-GI, $1,000,000, Churchill Downs, 5-6, 4yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:47.31, fm.
1–UP TO THE MARK, 123, c, 4, by Not This Time
               1st Dam: Belle's Finale, by Ghostzapper
               2nd Dam: Capote Belle, by Capote
               3rd Dam: Rythmical, by Fappiano
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. ($450,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable and St. Elias
Stable; B-Ramspring Farm (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz,
Jr. $601,400. Lifetime Record: 9-4-0-2, $829,550. Werk Nick
Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hong Kong Harry (Ire), 123, g, 6, Es Que Love (Ire)–Vital Body
(Fr), by Gold Away (Ire). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (£185,000 RNA
4yo '21 GOFFLN; 85,000gns 4yo '21 TATAHI). O-Scott Anastasi,
Jimmy Ukegawa & Tony Valazza; B-Amarath Business
Management (IRE); T-Philip D'Amato. $194,000.
3–Spooky Channel, 123, g, 8, English Channel–Spooky Kitten, by
Kitten's Joy. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($10,000 Ylg '16 FTKOCT).
O-NBS Stable; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Jason Barkley. $97,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, 1 1/4, HD. Odds: 2.63, 3.64, 4.37.
Also Ran: Ocean Atlantique, Santin, Wolfie's Dynaghost, Earls Rock (Ire), Bye Bye Melvin. Scratched: Master Piece (Chi), Steady On. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Away alertly from the outside post in this 10-horse affair, the 7-1 shot tugged his way up into second, sitting off the speedy Tribhuvan (Fr)'s (Toronado {Ire}) flank through early fractions of :24.39 and :49.02. The Godolphin homebred allowed the pacesetter to pull clear, but still kept a close eye on him through three-quarters in 1:13.13. Shaken up by Tyler Gaffalione entering the lane, Santin was confronted by Mira Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) to his outside and those two drew clear of Tribhuvan in mid-stretch. The duo battled to the line, but Santin refused to be denied, digging in deep to keep Mira Mission at bay by a neck. Adhamo (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) completed the trifecta.

A debut winner at Indiana in September, Santin rallied to victory in a Keeneland allowance a month later and closed strongly to miss by just a neck in Del Mar's GI Hollywood Derby Nov. 27. Only able to manage fourth behind Cavalry Charge (Honor Code) and Adhamo when not getting much pace to run into in the GIII Fair Grounds S. Feb. 19, he raced closer to the pace last out when second in that venue's GII Muniz Memorial Classic S. Mar. 26.

Pedigree Notes:
With Saturday's victory, Santin makes 19 Grade I winners for the legendary Distorted Humor. He is also the 71st worldwide graded winner (68 NH & 3 SH) and 166th worldwide black-type winner (160 NH & 6 SH) for that WinStar stalwart. Santin is the third graded winner of the weekend at Churchill Downs out of a Medaglia d'Oro mare, following Friday's GII Alysheba S. winner Olympiad (Speightstown) and GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint S. victor Arrest Me Red (Pioneerof the Nile). He is also the fourth Grade I winner, 22nd graded victor and 58th black-type scorer produced by a daughter of that Darley stallion.

The winner's's dam, dual graded winner and Grade I-placed Sentiero Italia, is also a Godolphin homebred and made nearly $1 million under the care of retired trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. Santin is her first foal and her second foal Field Marshal (War Front) finished fourth in a maiden special weight at Churchill Thursday for trainer Bill Mott. The 10-year-old mare is also responsible for a juvenile colt by War Front and a yearling filly by Speightstown. The half-sister to Group 1 winner Ashkal Way (Ire) (Ashkalani {Ire}) visited Into Mischief last term.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
OLD FORESTER BOURBON TURF CLASSIC S.-GI, $1,000,000, Churchill Downs, 5-7, 4yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:49.72, fm.
1–SANTIN, 123, c, 4, by Distorted Humor
                1st Dam: Sentiero Italia (MGSW & MGISP, $994,900), by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Golden Way (Ire), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
                3rd Dam: Diavolina, by Lear Fan
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $595,200. Lifetime Record: 6-3-2-0, $813,200.
Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mira Mission, 123, g, 4, Noble Mission (GB)–Kazamira, by Dynaformer. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Mary Abeel Sullivan Revocable Trust; B-Mary A Sullivan (KY); T-Ian R. Wilkes. $192,000.
3–Adhamo (Ire), 123, c, 4, Intello (Ger)–Foreign Tune (GB), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (€250,000 3yo '21 ARARC). O-Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables LLC and Louis Lazzinnaro; B-Wertheimer et Frere (IRE); T-Chad C. Brown. $96,000.
Margins: NK, 6, 3/4. Odds: 7.10, 8.80, 2.40.
Also Ran: Shirl's Speight, Tribhuvan (Fr), Public Sector (GB), Bizzee Channel, Cavalry Charge, Kentucky Ghost. Scratched: Ivar (Brz).
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Tribhuvan (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}), a front-running victor of the 1 3/8-mile GI United Nations S. at Monmouth Park last summer, cuts back in distance and makes his first start since tiring to 13th after setting the pace in the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Turf.

Adhamo (Ire) (Intello {Ger}), a group winner in France last spring, closed from well out of it in his stateside debut to miss by just a head when second behind the reopposing Cavalry Charge (Honor Code) in the Feb. 19 GIII Fair Grounds S. last time out.

Cavalry Charge returned with a third-place finish in the Mar. 26 GII Muniz Memorial Classic S. last time out.

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The Pegasus World Cup and the Pegasus World Cup Turf will co-headline a program with seven graded stakes Jan. 29.

Pletcher, the defending 18-time Championship Meet titlist, is preparing 'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief) for a start in the Pegasus World Cup, as well as planning for a defense of the Pegasus World Cup Turf by Colonel Liam (Liam's Map).

Life Is Good is fresh off a dazzling front-running victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar.

“He's an extremely impressive horse to watch train,” Pletcher said. “What everybody saw in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile is what we've grown accustomed to seeing in his training. He's got a lot of brilliance. He's got speed and the ability to carry it over a route of ground. He's just a very, very talented, impressive horse. We're optimistic that he'll continue to stretch out. He certainly trains like a horse that wants to go further. We're excited about getting him back for next year.”

Colonel Liam, meanwhile, has been idle since finishing off the board in the GI Manhattan at Belmont in June. He also won this year's GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic S. at Churchill Downs.

“He's at Palm Beach Downs now and training really well. We're looking forward to having him defend his Pegasus World Cup Turf title,” Pletcher said. “Hopefully, everything goes smoothly. He's doing well at the moment.”

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Domestic Spending continued his lavish ascent in the Grade 1 Manhattan Stakes, closing to win his sixth race from seven starts and stay perfect on the year, following a dead-heat win in the Grade 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic on May 1. The gelding is the latest in a line of top-class sons of Kingman — also the sire of Europe's top miler Palace Pier — to scorch the turf recently and is destined for a similar path to 2019 Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar, who won the G1 Turf Classic and G1 Manhattan before taking the 10-furlong Arlington Million and 12-furlong Breeders' Cup Turf — both Grade 1s.

“If you had asked me this time of year about Bricks and Mortar [pointing to the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf], I would have said 'no' and that's why I was considering the [G1 Breeders' Cup] Mile for that horse for a while, thinking he's not going to be a three-turn horse,” Brown explained. “These horses, as they get older and get some seasoning under them, you're starting to see them have more range. Anything is possible, let's see, but his next start—all going well—is at Arlington.”

Left in Domestic Spending's deficit was pace-setting Brown pupil Tribhuvan, who backed up his victory in the Grade 2 Fort Marcy on May 1 with an admirable runner-up effort.

“He surprised me in the Fort Marcy, but he didn't surprise me yesterday,” Brown explained. “That horse has been a different horse since we gelded him and the more I looked at his Fort Marcy, the more I started to believe it. That's why we chose as a team – me and [owners Wonder Stables, Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso] – to give it a shot in the Manhattan instead of running at Monmouth yesterday. Fortunately we did because I thought he ran great.

“They both ran their hearts out and gave two great performances.”

Search Results won her fourth race from five starts in Saturday's G1 Acorn, stalking and pouncing with aplomb under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, who was substituting for injured Irad Ortiz, Jr. The daughter of Flatter landed her first Grade 1 after coming up a neck short in last month's Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks to divisional leader Malathaat.

“I really wanted to try to do that and give myself a little breathing room with her between now and Saratoga,” said Brown. “We have a decision to make there on whether or not we're going to bring her back in the Coaching Club, which was my original plan, or if I think she needs more time for any reason, we can always train her up to a race like the [Grade 1, $500,000 Longines] Test (on August 7). I couldn't see myself running her past a mile and an eighth.”

Earlier in the day, Brown unveiled Klaravich Stables' Soft Power, a sophomore son of Kingman's sire Invincible Spirit, who overcame a bit of traffic to get up in the final jump over seven grassy furlongs. The bay colt was a $256,604 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale 2019 purchase and is out of a half-sister to Grade 1 Dubai Duty Free winner Cityscape and world-class sprinter Bated Breath.

“He ran super and we really liked that horse last year, but unfortunately he got hurt during the summer, so we had to rest him,” Brown said. “He trained well and ran a big race, so I'm really excited about his future. I'd love to get him into a mile '1-X' allowance and then go up to a stakes in a perfect world. I'm going to have to look around. If I don't get that, I might have to put him in a stakes.”

The post Brown Plans Next Stops For Domestic Spending, Search Results appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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But while that one was given his winter's rest, Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam (Liam's Map), a progressive sort who finished within three-quarters of a length of Domestic Spending at the Spa last summer, had assumed 'King of the Hill' status, courtesy of a three-race skein that included the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf in January and the GII Muniz Memorial S. Mar. 20. Saturday's renewal of acquaintances in the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs lived up to expectations, as they hit the wire together and the judges could not split them.

Colonel Liam, a touch keen passing under the wire for the first time, found the perfect spot in the box seat, as Smooth Like Strait enjoyed a cheap time of things on the engine, doling out fractions of :24.40 for the opening couple of furlongs and an easy :49.17 beneath Umberto Rispoli. The second that pace-pressing Cross Border (English Channel) came under a Ricardo Santana, Jr. ride leaving the three-eighths pole, Colonel Liam was asked for a bit of acceleration from Irad Ortiz, Jr. and was pulled out into the two path to deliver his challenge. Colonel Liam was roused to the front a furlong from home, but Domestic Spending, given a quiet time of it towards the back of the field for the opening six furlongs, followed his stablemate and defending champion Digital Age (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) into the lane, shot the gap between the latter and a weakening Cross Border, was steered out and around Colonel Liam as Smooth Like Strait hung to his right and hit the line on even terms.

Pedigree Notes:

Colonel Liam is the one of six graded winners and three Grade I winners for Liam's Map and is bred on the same cross as 'TDN Rising Star' Wicked Whisper. Colonel Liam is one of two winners from four to race for his dam, an unraced daughter of the Phillipses MGISW turf distaffer Wonder Again, whose full-brother Grass Wonder was the champion 2-year-old of his generation in Japan and later won the Takarazuka Kinen over 2200 meters (11 furlongs) and the 2500-meter (12.5-furlong) Arima Kinen on two occasions before embarking on a stud career. This is also the same female family responsible for GSW Hopeful Growth (Tapiture). Amazement is the dam of Colonel Liam's 3-year-old half-sister Lovely Dee (Shackleford), a juvenile colt by Tapiture and a yearling colt by the late Arrogate, like Liam's Map a son of Unbridled's Song. She most recently visited Copper Bullet (More Than Ready).

Domestic Spending is the lone produce for his stakes-winning dam (died 2017), a daughter of G3 Nell Gywn S. winner and MG1SP Cloud Castle (GB) (In the Wings {GB}), whose GSW Queen's Best (GB) (King's Best) produced GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Queen's Trust (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Domestic Spending's third dam includes a plethora of high-class gallopers, including MG1SWs Warrsan (Ire) (Caerleon) and Luso (GB) (Salse) and MGSW & MG1SP Needle Gun (Ire) (Sure Blade).

Saturday, Churchill Downs
OLD FORESTER BOURBON TURF CLASSIC S.-GI, $1,000,000, Churchill Downs, 5-1, 4yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:47.99, fm.
(DH)-1–COLONEL LIAM, 124, c, 4, by Liam's Map
                1st Dam: Amazement, by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Wonder Again, by Silver Hawk
                3rd Dam: Ameriflora, by Danzig
($50,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP; $1,200,000 2yo '19 OBSAPR).
O-Lawana L. & Robert E. Low; B-Phillips Racing Partnership
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $393,600. Lifetime
Record: 8-6-0-1, $1,264,565. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple
Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
(DH)-1–DOMESTIC SPENDING (GB), 124, g, 4, by Kingman (GB)
                1st Dam: Urban Castle (SW-Eng), by Street Cry (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Cloud Castle (GB), by In the Wings (GB)
                3rd Dam: Lucayan Princess (Ire), by High Line (GB)
(300,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.;
B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited (GB); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Flavien
Prat. $393,600. Lifetime Record: 6-5-0-1, $914,500. Werk Nick
Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
3–Smooth Like Strait, 120, c, 4, Midnight Lute–Smooth as
Usual, by Flower Alley. O-Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC;
B-Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy.
$96,000.
Margins: NK, NK, 1HF. Odds: 1.40, 5.90, 7.10.
Also Ran: Count Again, Digital Age (Ire), Ivar (Brz), Cross Border, Masteroffoxhounds, Ride a Comet.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. Click for Colonel Liam's free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Click for Domestic Spending's free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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The 1 1/8-mile grass test will go as the 11th race on Saturday's 14-race Kentucky Derby Day program with a 5:27 p.m. (all times Eastern) post time. First post time Saturday is 10:30 a.m.

Trained by Chad Brown, Digital Age will be attempting to join Divisidero (2016-2017), Wise Dan (2013-2014) and Einstein (BRZ) (2008-2009) as a back-to-back winner of the Turf Classic.

Digital Age, who also won the American Turf (G2) here in 2019 in his only other start at Churchill Downs, will be ridden by Javier Castellano and exit post six.

Brown will saddle another Klaravich runner in Domestic Spending.

A winner of four of five career starts, Domestic Spending will be making his first start since taking the Hollywood Derby (G1) over Thanksgiving weekend last fall at Del Mar. Flavien Prat has the mount and will exit post five.

Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam has won his past three starts on the grass, following his victory in the Pegasus with a score in the Muniz Memorial Classic (G2) at Fair Grounds. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Colonel Liam will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post three.

The field for the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic, with riders and weights from the rail out, is:

1. Masteroffoxhounds (Joel Rosario, 120 pounds)
2. Count Again (Luis Saez, 120)
3. Colonel Liam (Irad Ortiz Jr., 124)
4. Ivar (Joe Talamo, 122)
5. Domestic Spending (Flavien Prat, 124)
6. Digital Age (Javier Castellano, 120)
7. Smooth Like Strait (Umberto Rispoli, 120)
8. Cross Border (Ricardo Santana Jr., 120)
9. Ride a Comet (Tyler Gaffalione, 118)

The post Digital Age Faces Off With Colonel Liam In Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Early nominations to the 1 1/8-mile Longines Kentucky Oaks Friday, Apr. 30, cost $200. A payment of $100 must be paid to become eligible for the May 1 Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic.

Owners and trainers can nominate by calling the Churchill Downs Racing Office at (502) 636-3806. Stakes nomination forms are available online.

A late nomination period, for both the Longines Kentucky Oaks and Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic, will run through Sunday, Apr. 10. The late nomination fee for the Oaks is $1,500 and Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic is $1,000.

The post Early Kentucky Oaks Nominations Due Saturday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar won the 2019 renewal.

Factor This, trained by red-hot Brad Cox, held second after controlling the pace through fractions of :23.24, :47.17 and 1:11.16. Brown's two other runners in the race, Irish-bred Rockemperor and French-bred betting favorite Sacred Life, finished third and fourth, respectively.

Digital Age covered the nine furlongs on firm turf in 1:47.79 and paid $19.20.

Castellano took ahold of Digital Age shortly after the start, allowing the 4-year-old colt by Invincible Spirit to race near the back of the pack while saving ground. Factor This was engaged by True Valour and Spectacular Gem in the run down the backstretch, but shook free from those two under Shaun Bridgmohan and set sail for home.

Castellano gained ground moving into the final turn, swung Digital Age toward the outside turning into the stretch and ran down Factor This in the final sixteenth.

The win was the fifth in 11 career starts for Digital Age but first in a G1 stakes. His only previous graded stakes win came over the same grass course in the G2 American Turf on the 2019 Kentucky Derby day program.

Out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare, Willow View, Digital Age was bred in Ireland by Merry Fox Stud Limited.

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