BALTIMORE - In the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes for 3-year-olds on Saturday at Pimlico, named for the first Triple Crown winner, Crudo had more than a triple of daunting challenges: He was facing winners for the first time; going two turns for the first time - although that was a challenge trainer Todd Pletcher was looking forward to; he drew the rail, meaning his hand might be forced, strategically; and he had to deal with a new environment and boisterous Preakness Day crowd.
All challenges? Overcome. Crudo led throughout and was there when called upon. With John Velazquez hand-riding to the line, he dominated by 7 1/2 lengths.
Crudo ($9.40), by Justify, was a $350,000 Keeneland November weanling purchase and races for Bobby Flay and James Ventura. The colt debuted in January at Gulfstream Park, stumbled and was bumped at the start, he rushed up to put a head in front at one point, but then faded to fourth. Pletcher said the colt emerged with “some minor issues we had to address.”
Crudo resurfaced in April at Keeneland, and showed speed throughout a seven-furlong maiden, winning by 7 1/4 lengths.
“He came back and trained dynamite, and his comeback race at Keeneland was pretty easy,” Pletcher said.
Next was the Sir Barton, stretching out to 1 1/16 miles against 3-year-olds who had not yet won an open stakes. Besides stamina in the colt’s pedigree, Crudo’s training has Pletcher thinking the longer, the better.
“Just watching him train, the way he breezes, the way he gallops out, he’s always shown good energy on his gallop out,” Pletcher said.
Pre-race, Crudo had plenty of energy, and threw regular rider Velazquez a curveball by showing his inexperience. Warming up, “he ducked from every bush, everything that the infield had, and I'm worried,” Velazquez said.
“I’ve got post position one. I’m jogging back and forth on the rail so he could see it. Back and forth. Back and forth.”
Crudo and Velazquez indeed went for the lead from the inside post, but with no one else committed early, the Hall of Famer had room to put his green colt out a few paths, rather than racing directly along the rail and eyeballing the busy infield.
“He broke well enough and let me get off the rail and keep everybody out there and it worked out for us,” Velazquez said. “Good thing that he broke good enough to do that. He allowed me to do that and get off the rail so he could see everything, every spot with the bushes.”
Crudo held a half-length lead over favored Invictus - a royally bred colt also coming off an impressive Keeneland maiden score at seven furlongs - through a moderate half in 46.86 seconds. Invictus appeared to have good aim around the far turn, but then Velazquez shook Crudo up, he cleared in a few yards, and the race was essentially over. The final time, with the clear winner not being pushed at the end, was 1:44 on the fast track.
Just a Fair Shake rallied from last of seven to be second by 3 1/2 lengths clear of third-place and favored Invictus. The high-spirited colt, who can act up pre-race, was led in the post parade by trainer Brad Cox, and was on his toes but presented no serious theatrics. The colt warmed up very forwardly, and ran evenly through the lane.
After Invictus came Bear Claw Necklace, Authentic Gallop, Bestfriend Rocket, and Bold Diversion.
So, what test could be next for Crudo?
“We just kind of approached today kind of seeing where we are,” Pletcher said. “We’ll kind of see how he bounces out of it. There are a lot of big races all summer. We’ve got options.”
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