It was a closing day winner for MASTERY on Sunday when Down Cold broke his maiden for L and N Racing and Team Hanley at Churchill Downs.
Racing over seven furlongs, Down Cold raced nearly last early on with the leaders over 11 lengths ahead of him. The juvenile had plenty of work to do as they turned into the stretch and looked like he wasn’t enjoying the slop.
Everything changed in the final two furlongs when Down Cold weaved to the outside where he had no traffic to contend with.
He flew into high gear from there to run down the front runner and flew on by inside the final sixteenth to win by 1 ½ lengths for Steve Asmussen.
Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, the gelding was sold earlier this year for $125,000 from Lucan Bloodstock to L and N Racing.
Down Cold comes by his speed honestly, his is out of multiple stakes winner Ragtime Hope who won from five furlongs to 1 1/16 miles. The mare’s other three winners are led by dual Grade 1 winner Secret Circle, who won two Breeders’ Cup sprint distance races and was second in another.
Ragtime Hope is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Really Polish and comes from the family of Grade 1 winner Clever Trevor.
Down Cold is the fifth winner for MASTERY, who has also seen six other winners place at the races. His first crop is led by winner Up Her Sleeve, who was fourth in the Proud Man Stakes in August.