Much has transpired in the highly visible world of 3-year-old racing since the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).
Three different horses won the Triple Crown races, and there might be a fourth depending on the final ruling in regards to the post-race positive split sample from Run for the Roses winner Medina Spirit.
The winner of the TVG. com Haskell Stakes (G1), Hot Rod Charlie, was disqualified and placed last for causing Midnight Bourbon to clip heels and unseat his rider. Mandaloun , who would become the Kentucky Derby winner if Medina Spirit is disqualified, was declared the winner of the Haskell.
Meanwhile, while all this chaos was unfolding, trainer Todd Pletcher was biding his time with his grade 2-placed Dynamic One, waiting for the right time to bring him back to the races and reenter the 3-year-old scene.
That moment came July 30 in the $120,000 Curlin Stakes when Dynamic One took a big step forward and stamped himself as a major contender for the $1.25 million Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) by returning from a 13-week layoff and recording a 1 3/4-length victory over Miles D in the 1 1/8-mile restricted stakes for 3-year-olds at Saratoga Race Course.
"I think he's a colt that had a lot of talent early on but was still putting it all together," Pletcher said. "It seemed like today was the first time he executed from start to finish the way he's capable of. We felt like he needed a little more time to mature and I think the time off served him well mentally and physically. I thought he looked awesome in the paddock. He seemed like he was zeroed in."
Owned by Repole Stable, Phipps Stable, and St. Elias Stable, Dynamic One came into the Curlin off two eventful races in the spring.
Though he punched his ticket to the Kentucky Derby by finishing second in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino (G2), it was a disconcerting effort since he seemed headed to victory in mid-stretch but lost his focus and wound up losing by a head to the Pletcher-trained 72-1 shot Bourbonic.
After that, he went off at 45-1 in the May 1 Run for the Roses and was steadied slightly early in the race and then never fired, finishing 18th in the field of 19, a little more than 32 lengths behind.
Since then, the time off gave Pletcher an opportunity to tap into all of the potential he and others saw in the $725,000 purchase from the Claiborne Farm consignment at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale who was the 3-1 second choice in a field of seven. Last under Irad Ortiz Jr. much of the way, Dynamic One ($8.50) launched a strong, wide move to grab the lead in midstretch and then continued strong to the wire, covering the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.36 on a wet track labeled good.
"He was a racehorse today. He showed his ability and I believe he'll move forward off this race," said owner Vinnie Viola of St. Elias Stable. "He got to the lead and continued to do his business after idling in the stretch of the Wood. He beat a salty field today in what should be a graded stakes. I think he has a real shot in the Travers."
A winner of two of seven starts, Dynamic One was bred by the Phipps Stable out of the Smart Strike mare Beat the Drums. He's the first of five foals to race from his dam, who has a 2-year-old colt named Videri (by Honor Code) and a weanling Ghostzapper colt.
The Curlin is restricted to 3-year-olds who have not won a graded stakes beyond a mile in 2021 and was positioned to give new shooters a prep for the Aug. 28 Travers at the Spa.
Aside from Dynamic One, runner-up Miles D also seems destined for the Travers. Running for just the third time for owners Peter Brant and Robert LaPenta and trainer Chad Brown, the son of Curlin was a game second, seven lengths ahead of the 6-5 favorite First Captain, who was third.
Sixth after a half-mile in :47.34, Miles D forged to the front at the top of the stretch, but could not fend off Dynamic One's stretch kick.
"I thought we had the race won turning for home and (Dynamic One) made the last move and beat us," jockey Joel Rosario said.
Grade 3 winner First Captain, the previously undefeated $1.5 million yearling buy for West Point Thoroughbreds, Siena Farm, Woodford Racing, and breeder Bobby Flay, moved into third at the top of the stretch while being carried wide by the tiring Collaborate but the Curlin colt came up empty in the final furlong, losing for the first time in four career starts for trainer Shug McGaughey.
"No excuses. We will regroup. The top two are very good horses," said West Point president and CEO Terry Finley.
Jockey Jose Ortiz expected a sharper effort from the favorite.
"He was a little lazy early on," he said. "We were making a good run until the quarter pole and Collaborate blew the turn and it hurt me a little bit, but I don't think I would have won the race."
