With heavily favored first-time starter Mirahmadi commanding nearly all of the betting attention, Kentucky shipper Tranche, dismissed at 20-1, led a field of four rival juveniles on a merry chase as he went on to romp by 7¼ lengths in Saturday's $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Futurity at Santa Anita.
Trained by Luis Mendez and ridden by Edwin Maldonado, Tranche, who was making his third career start, got five furlongs in :57.68.
Ridden by Maldonado to a third-place finish, beaten 9¾ lengths in the Kentucky Juvenile Stakes at Churchill Downs May 4, Tranche broke like a shot Saturday and never at any point looked a loser in very impressive effort.
“He ran a big race in Kentucky at Churchill Downs and I really liked the horse today,” said Maldonado. “In Kentucky, that winner [Youalmosthadme] was a monster. I think he won by 10 (9¾ lengths) and I knew we had a shot in here, but I didn't think he was going to run this big today. I was feeling great turning for home by myself. I thought, yes, we got a good shot.”
Owned by William Peeples, Tranche, a bay colt by Collected, broke slowly and finished seventh in his 4½-furlong maiden debut at Keeneland April 7, He was the longest shot in the field Saturday, returning $42 for the win.
With the Futurity's winner's share of $60,000, Tranche increased his lifetime earnings to $81,000.
“To be honest, I wasn't really (confident going into this race). In this business when you think you're going to win, it can sometimes go the other way,” said Mendez, who won the 2021 Fasig Tipton Futurity with Big City Lights…“Bill Peeples, I mean everybody on the team loved him, but I was not convinced. That beautiful field of horses was against him, so I was a little worried.
“When I saw him turning for home, he made me excited…I give (bloodstock agent) John Brocklebank the credit for buying these nice horses. He always gives me the credit, but I think if they don't buy a good horse, I don't train.”
Bred in Kentucky by Hidden Brook, Tranche was produced by the Archarcharch mare Theory of Change. Offered by his breeder at the 2022 Keeneland September yearling sale, Tranche was purchased for $210,000.
Trained by Bob Baffert and named for Santa Anita track announcer Frank Mirahmadi, first time starter Mirahmadi, a $1,050,000 Keeneland September Yearling, obviously came highly regarded but never threatened the winner in an effort that suggested he could improve a great deal next time.
Off at 3-5, Mirahmadi, who was three-deep turning for home, kept to his task and gradually outran third-placed Refocus late to finish second by 1¼ lengths under Juan Hernandez.
Refocus, who was head and head with Mirahmadi while about a length off the winner at the quarter pole, finished 1 ½ lengths in front of Going Mobile.
Fractions on the race were :22.15 and :45.36. The Futurity final time compared favorably to the five-furlong final time of the Fasig-Tipton Debutante, which was run four races earlier and won in :58.41 by the filly Grand Slam Smile.
The post Tranche Romps Gate To Wire In Fasig-Tipton Futurity Surprise, Upstages Mirahmadi appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
