Timberlake surged past General Partner with a furlong to run in Saturday’s $500,000 Champagne S. at Aqueduct, going on to win by 4 ¼-lengths and secure his spot in the starting gate for next month’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita Park.
Owned by Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm LLC, Timberlake was coming off a strong second in the Hopeful S. (G1) following a 9 ¼-length maiden romp in late July at Ellis Park.
Timberlake tucked in behind horses and set off a very rapid opening half-mile in :45.44. He was called upon with three furlongs to run, and made up ground nicely to get on near even terms with early leader General Partner at the top of the stretch. After a brief battle, Timberlake drew clear and won going away in 1:35.90 for the mile over the sloppy going.
“We used blinkers early on just to keep him focused and we felt like he needed them early,” trainer Brad Cox said when talking about the colt wearing blinkers in his two previous starts. “He trained very well leading up to the Hopeful and looking back it would have been great to take them off, but he was also coming off a victory, too. He’s a young horse continuing to learn and I think he put it all together today.”
Timberlake is now 2-1-0 in four starts and has earned $375,600.
“We talked about it and thought this was a good spot. The Champagne is a great race, a stallion making race. We’re excited to win it, it’s the first time we’ve ever won it,” said Elliott Walden, CEO of WinStar Farm.
“You obviously turn your attention to the Breeders’ Cup as it comes up (next),” Cox said. “We’ll get him back to Kentucky and see how he comes out of it and let him tell us if we take a march towards Santa Anita. We’ll enjoy this victory and go from there.”
