Sat, 07/05/2025 - 18:17

Stidham decides to go two turns with Think Big again, gets Kelso triumph in return

Barbara D. Livingston
Think Big returned $15.00 in winning the Kelso Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Michael Stidham’s decision to finally give Think Big a second chance to stretch out around two turns paid big dividends on Saturday at Saratoga. The multiple Grade 2 turf sprint winner finished full of run along the rail to register a one-length victory over 6-5 favorite Intellect in the Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso Stakes.

Donegal Momentum, among the choices in the one-mile Kelso, took a bad step and stumbled badly, nearly unseating jockey Javier Castellano while pressing the pace into the far turn. Miraculously, Donegal Momentum was able to recover, finish the race and appeared to return home none the worse for the frightening incident.

Think Big became a turf sprint star following his first and only previous try to go two turns in a first-level allowance race over the main track last fall at Keeneland. He set the pace for over six furlongs before tiring to finish eighth, 6 1/2 lengths behind the winner.

Stidham turned Think Big in distance and put him on the turf for his next start. The Godolphin homebred instantly showed his fondness for the surface by winning four of his next five outings, including both the Grade 2 Shakertown at Keeneland and Grade 2 Turf Sprint on Derby day at Churchill Downs.

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Think Big was subsequently backed to even money off those two efforts when making his local debut last month in the Grade 1 Jaipur, only to suffer through a nightmarish trip following a slow start that resulted in a disappointing seventh-place finish, after which Stidham felt it was time to try his star around two turns once again.

“It was something that was always on our mind once he loved the grass as much as he did. To try to stretch him out again, at least up to a mile,” Stidham explained. “But he had won two Grade 2s in a row going 5 1/2 furlongs, so it wasn’t something we were going to do out of those races. But after what happened last time, when he got off bad and the race went sideways, we felt now’s our chance.” 

With Jose Ortiz aboard for the first time, Think Big settled in a perfect striking position in the run down the backstretch of the Kelso, about four lengths off the pacesetting Arzak.  Think Big had to check briefly to avoid the stumbling Donegal Momentum on the far turn, remained about four lengths behind the leaders on settling into the stretch, angled to the rail near the furlong grounds, then finished full of run to overtake Intellect and win going clear.

Intellect, never far back, rallied to command in upper stretch, edged clear but could not withstand the winner’s final surge. Win for the Money was prominent throughout, but lacked the necessary closing response, finishing another 1 1/4 lengths farther back in third.

Think Big completed the mile over the firm course in 1:32.81 seconds and paid $15.00. Think Big was given a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

Stidham said watching the race on TV, he wasn’t sure exactly what had happened on the far turn after Donegal Momentum stumbled.

“It looked like we were dropping back and I didn’t think we were going to have a shot,” Stidham admitted. “Then all of a sudden he did what he does going five and one half, which is rare for a horse to have that kind of turn of foot at five and one half and going a mile. That made it all the more impressive to me.”

Stidham said in light of Think Big’s performance, it is likely he will keep him around two turns moving forward with the one-mile Fourstardave on August 2 among his options.

“Hopefully that could be our Grade 1 that we missed on last time,” Stidham said.

Trainer Tom Morley was breathing a sigh of relief after checking Donegal Momentum out immediately after the race.

“Javier (Castellano) said he went down on his nose. He said ‘I was a foot off the ground, he came up underneath me, and galloped through the wire fine and jogged back fine’,” Morley said. “We’ll check him out top to toe, obviously. But thank God, he appears to be okay.”

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