Trainer Mike Maker is well-known for claiming a horse and turning it into a graded stakes winner.
He's walked away from the claim box with six horses who went on to win grade 1s, a list that includes 2020 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1T) winner Zulu Alpha, 2020 United Nations Stakes (G1T) victor Aquaphobia, and 2017 United Nations winner Bigger Picture.
Last Judgment is another name on the roll call of claim-to-famers for Maker, but there was something different about him that brought out a chuckle in Maker after the 5-year-old Congrats gelding captured the $237,500 Pimlico Special Match Series Stakes (G3) May 14 at Pimlico Race Course.
"It was on dirt," Maker said.
Indeed it was.
For all of Maker's prowess in uncovering turf stars, Last Judgment has proven to be an astute pick up as the 1 3/16-mile Pimlico Special was his second grade 3 victory—both on dirt—since being claimed last October for $62,500 by a group that now includes Michael Dubb, Steve Hornstock, Bethlehem Stables, and Nice Guys Stables.
According to Steve Spielman of Nice Guys Stables, it was Dubb who originally spotted the gelding when he was entered and won the Oct. 25 allowance optional claiming race at Belmont Park.
"We thought his back (speed figures) were good and that we could give him to Mike (Maker) and he could improve on them," Spielman said.
The March 6 $100,000 Michelob Ultra Challenger Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs, his fourth start after the claim, accounted for Last Judgment's first graded stakes win for his current connections and after a second in the Ghostzapper Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park, he doubled that total with a frontrunning score in the historic Pimlico Special.
"This is a wonderful day," said Hornstock, who teamed with Spielman to also win Friday's seventh race at Belmont Park with the Brittany Russell-trained Fierce Lady in an allowance optional claimer for New York-bred fillies. "There aren't a lot of them but this was wonderful."
Last Judgment was claimed out of a 6 1/2-furlong sprint and the Pimlico Special demanded he race a half-furlong longer than when he tired in the stretch of the Ghostzapper and lost by 5 1/2 lengths. But in Maker's mind, the prospect of softer fractions offset the longer distance.
"I was glad to stretch him out," Maker said about a gelding who started his career with trainer Todd Pletcher after he was bought for $300,000 from the Bobby Dodd consignment at the 2018 Ocala Breeders' Sales April Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.
Maker was definitely happy as Last Judgment broke from the outside post in a field of 10 and cruised along on a clear lead in the Pimlico Special, maintaining a 1 1/2-length advantage through fractions of :23.83, :47.60, and 1:11.54.
On the final turn, the challenges came from Modernist and 6-5 favorite Fearless, but jockey Jose Ortiz had plenty of much-needed speed. Last Judgment opened a 3 1/2-length lead in midstretch and crossed the wire 1 3/4 lengths ahead of runner-up Modernist.
"Jose did a good job," Spielman said. "The fractions were pretty even throughout so he figured to have a good run in the stretch. He had plenty left."
Sent off as the 9-2 second choice, the Woodford Thoroughbreds' Florida-bred son of the Forestry mare Fantasy Forest crossed the wire in 1:54.37 and paid $11.80 to win.
"It was a nice job by Mike (Maker). He had him ready," Ortiz said. "The horse relaxed well. When I asked him, he was there for me. That's all you can ask for."
A winner of eight of 18 starts with earnings of $490,495, Last Judgment is the lone graded stakes winner for his dam, whose most recent foal is a yearling Good Magic colt.
Pam and Martin Wygod's 6-1 shot Modernist, an Uncle Mo 4-year-old trained by Bill Mott, took second by a neck over third-place Fearless. The grade 2 winner was exiting a victory in the Excelsior Stakes (G3).
"I had a beautiful trip," said jockey Junior Alvarado. "The horse that won the race was the only one with the speed, and I was tracking behind him the whole way. Turning for home, I took my shot at it, but that horse in front just kept going. I was in a beautiful spot. If I had to do it 100 times, I would have picked the same spot I was in. I was traveling very beautifully. The horse in front got away with a nice pace and he kept going."
WinStar Farm and China Horse Club's Fearless was 4 1/4 lengths clear of Hillwood Stable's Cordmaker in fourth.
A son of Ghostzapper trained by Todd Pletcher, the grade 2-winning Fearless was favored after a second in last month's Oaklawn Handicap (G2).
