It was a first Grade 1 victory for BLAME’s Explora on Saturday when the 3-year-old romped home by an easy five lengths in the Test S. (G1) at Saratoga.
Making her Saratoga debut in the seven-furlong dirt race, Explora went off as the clear favorite and was one of the fastest out of the gate. She had her head in front for a few strides before settling three lengths off the pacesetting Movie Night while galloping comfortably under Flavien Prat.
Her patience wore off as the field entered the far turn with the filly making a run for the lead in mid-turn. The pair that had been in front of her most of the race weren’t willing to give in with Goodall sticking with Explora, but a tap of the whip changed the game.
Explora exploded when she felt the whip and in seconds had open lengths on the field. Allowed to gallop home without any urging in the final furlong, Explora was still full of energy in the gallop out.
“She did everything right,” Prat said. “I thought she ran very well in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). If you look at the replay, at the eighth pole she was still on the lead. [Today] she went back to what she wants to do. She jumped well and I wanted to get her involved, and she switched off nicely. On her own, she kind of got going around the turn. At that point, I didn’t want to move too early. I was trying to hold her together. When I turned for home I asked her, and she responded very well.”
Explora is trained by Bob Baffert, who also trained BLAME’s undefeatedGrade 1 winning Nadal, for Michael Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman. This was her fourth win in six starts this year and sixth win in 10 starts overall.
The BLAME filly’s record includes five stakes and seconds in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and Del Mar Debutante (G1). Explora also finished fourth in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) just a neck behind third.
A $350,000 2-year-old purchase by her racing owners last year, Explora was bred by Mesingw Farms out of Bernardini mare Collections Choice. A winner herself, Collections Choice has produced five winners from five to race with the others including 10-time winner and multiple stakes fourth place finisher Big Papa Rubio. The mare has had three foals by BLAME with her other two winning two races apiece.
Explora is a daughter of stakes winner and multiple Grade 1-placed Model with stakes form throughout this page. Explora also emulated her fifth dam White Star Line with the Test victory, with that race among four Grade 1 wins for the mare.
Explora is the eighth Grade 1 winner for BLAME and one of 25 graded stakes winners overall for the stallion.