Stakes Win for Sept Grad Founder

August 01, 2021

TDN - Thoroughbred Daily News

TALE OF THE CAT S., $102,000, Monmouth, 7-31, 3yo, 1 1/16mT, 1:41.81, fm.
1--FOUNDER, 116, r, 3, by Upstart
1st Dam: Blue Beryl, by Bernstein
2nd Dam: Silence Please, by Quiet American
3rd Dam: Notice Me, by Distinctive
($220,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $600,000 2yo '20 OBSMAR).
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Jeff Drown & Don Rachel; B-Lantern Hill Farm (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Paco Lopez. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 7-2-1-1, $139,522.
2--It Can Be Done, 116, g, 3, Temple City--Gotham City Girl, by Freud. O/B-Red Oak Stable (Brunetti) (KY); T-Gregory D. Sacco. $20,000.
3--Hot Blooded, 118, c, 3, Declaration of War--Hot Cappucino, by Medaglia d'Oro. ($37,000 RNA Ylg '19 OBSOCT). O-Palm Beach Racing; B-Hallmarc Stallions (FL); T-Carlos David. $10,000. Margins: 1 1/4, 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.10, 3.90, 21.90.
Also Ran: Eamonn, It's a Gamble, King of Dreams, Fifty Sheas Ofgrey. Scratched: Doubleoseven, Spun and Won.

  Founder hadn't finished on top since his debut victory at Saratoga last summer, but marked his return to the winner's circle with a come-from-behind score in Saturday's Tale of the Cat S. at Monmouth. A bit tardy exiting stall four, the evenmoney choice was unhurried in last as the field negotiated the first turn. Meanwhile, It Can Be Done raced to the front, carving out a half in :46.34 while prompted by King of Dreams (Air Force Blue). Still at the back but starting to pick up the tempo while swinging to the outside rounding the home bend, the ridgling picked off his foes one by one through the lane, overtook the hard-trying pacesetter midstretch and drew clear to collect his first taste of black-type success.
  "I was trying to stay close than I was because there was a lot of speed and I didn't want to be too far back on this grass course," said winning rider Paco Lopez. "I was a little surprised at [pacesetter It Can Be Done] and the speed of the race but I knew my horse had a lot left and I waited to make my move when there was enough room. It was my first time riding the horse, and I know riding for Chad Brown he likes to come from off the pace, so I wanted to wait as long as I could and the horse had a lot left to make the last run." Fifth in last season's GI Breeders' Futurity in October, Founder closed out the year with a third in a Churchill optional claimer in November. This term, he debuted with a ninth going seven panels on the Keeneland main track in April before closing mildly to be sixth going a mile over a soggy Belmont turf course June 4. Most recently, he finished runner up trying a sixteenth farther in the Belmont slop July 3. Luis Cabrera, assistant to Chad Brown, added, "I really wasn't worried that he was so far back. His other grass race at Belmont [June 4], he ran with a really strong group, so this time I thought he would have a chance to show how he can finish. That's his style. He's not much on speed. But he has a good kick at the end. After that turf race we thought that's where he would be best. He had some chances on the dirt. He is better on the turf. All Chad said before the race is to make sure he warms up good because he has plenty of ability." The winner's dam, Blue Beryl, is also responsible for an unraced juvenile colt by Unified, named City Brother, and a filly foal by West Coast. With the victory, Founder becomes the third black-type winner for his sophomore sire (by Flatter). Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.