Bluegrass Cat’s Sabercat dueled the entire way through a one mile maiden race to prevail by a half length for a well-deserved victory at Monmouth Park on Labor Day.
The 2-year-old dark bay colt had to work every step of the way to get his first career victory. From the outset, the Steve Asmussen trainee and My Adonis were inseparable. At the top of the stretch, the leading pair began to distance themselves from the rest of the field, and in the late stages, Sabercat pulled away slightly to win in 1:39.78. It was some 16 lengths back to the third place finisher.
Sabercat is a 2010 Keeneland September yearling sales grad, where he was sold by his breeder, Lantern Hill Farm, to Ron Winchell for $120,000. The colt is a half-brother to six winners, including Olivine, who won the Busher S. at Aqueduct as a 3-year-old.
Bluegrass Cat’s Big Blue Nation places in Grade 1 Hopeful S.
Big Blue Nation closed with a flourish finish third in the $250,000 Hopeful S. at Saratoga, coming from last of 10 on the sloppy track. His effort was likely hampered by a less than ideal start, when he slipped on the off-going before getting into stride.
The WinStar Farm bred colt broke his maiden in his debut July 3 at Churchill Downs. He is out of Lilah, who won the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie H. and Garland of Roses H. in a career that saw her amass over $510,000 and 26 top-three finishes in 40 starts.
After finished second in 2010 among all first-crop sires, Bluegrass Cat is once again in the top 10 on this year’s second-crop list. He has eight stakes horses to his credit, with Grade 3 winner Kathmanblu his leading earner.
