Concave steps up to take Grade 2 Sorrento, gives Colonel John his first stakes winner

Colonel John’s 2-year-old filly Concave moved to the head of her class with a half-length victory in the $150,500 Sorrento S. (G2) to become the initial stakes winner for the first-crop WinStar stallion. The victory moved Colonel John to the top of the Kentucky Freshman Sire list.

Colonel John, who stood the 2013 at WinStar for $15,000 live foal, has four individual winners to date, all coming in maiden special weight affairs.

Concave, who won her debut by 3 1/2 lengths going five furlongs on turf July 12 at Hollywood Park, got a stalking trip under Mario Gutierrez before circling the leaders in upper stretch to challenge She’s a Tiger on the outside. Running in tandem for most of the stretch, Concave gradually got control over the her foe to slowly pull away as they reached the wire.

“She’s a nice filly and she ran nicely today,” said an enthused Gutierrez. “I think she’ll go on, too. The way she trains and the way she runs says she should have no problem going further. I am so happy when I win a race for (owner) Mr. (Paul) Reddam and (trainer) Doug (O’Neill). So anytime I win a race, it is special. It all feels good.”

Concave is the seventh winner from eight starters for her dam, the winning Ascot Knight mare Galadriel. Bred in Ontario, Canada, by Windways Farm, the bay filly was purchased by Dennis O’Neill, Doug’s brother, for $160,000 at the Ocala Breeders’s Sales Company’s select 2-year-old sale this spring when consigned by De Meric Sales.

Concave, who earned $90,000 for the victory, is a half to graded stakes-placed filly Peisinoe. O’Neill indicated that Del Mar’s premier race for 2-year-old fillies, the $300,000 Del Mar Debutante (G1) on Aug. 31, is next up for his filly.