Up to the Mark, a multiple Grade 1 winner, will enter stud at Lane's End Farm upon the conclusion of his racing career.
Campaigned by Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable, Up to the Mark broke his maiden at first asking in a Saratoga maiden special weight on the dirt by 4 1/4 lengths.
Up to the Mark started his 4-year-old campaign with back-to-back wins at Gulfstream Park, before placing third in the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland after a wide trip in his first start at the Grade 1 level. His follow-up performance on Kentucky Derby day in the G1 Turf Classic resulted in his first win at the highest level. Winning by 3 3/4 lengths, he earned a 103 Beyer for the impressive performance.
Making his next start on Belmont Stakes day, he earned his second Grade 1 victory by daylight in the G1 Manhattan Stakes, earning back-to-back triple-digit Beyer figures with a career best 105, boosting his earnings to $1,242,050. The 105 Beyer currently stands as the top Beyer speed figure in 2023 at a mile and a quarter on the turf.
“He's a horse that we were always high on since he was two,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He broke his maiden first out on the dirt, but with the switch to the turf he really put that talent on display with his tremendous turn of foot. His impressive wins in the G1 Turf Classic and the G1 Manhattan showed that he is one of the top grass horses in the U.S., and his speed figures back that up.”
Bred in Kentucky by Ramspring Farm, Up to the Mark is by leading sire Not This Time, a top 10 general sire in 2023. Fourth-crop sire Not This Time is the sire of five Grade 1 winners and 13 graded stakes winners, led by 2022 champion 3-year-old colt and G1 Travers Stakes winner Epicenter.
A $450,000 yearling purchase, Up to the Mark is out of the Ghostzapper mare Belle's Finale. Belle's Finale is out of multiple graded stakes winner and G1 Test Stakes winner Capote Belle and is a full sister to Grade 3 placed and stakes producer Zapper Belle.
“Up to the Mark's versatility and looks are what initially attracted Lane's End,” according to Bill Farish. “He has a dirt pedigree and is by an emerging young sire. He really showed that he is one of the top turf horses in the U.S. with his dominating wins in back-to-back grade ones. We have a history in standing stallions that can get runners on all three surfaces and feel Up to the Mark has the potential to follow in that tradition.”
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