LEA’S first two juvenile starters of the year were also the first two home in the first New York 2-year-old race of 2021 when Kavod beat Poppy Flower by two lengths at Belmont Park.
Racing over five furlongs on the dirt, Kavod was one of the fastest out of the gate but then dropped back to race in second to last just in front of Poppy Flower. Quickly racing around the turn, the field was tightly packed with everyone within about a length of each other as they turned into the stretch.
The LEA duo raced in the two widest positions of all as they galloped down the stretch less than a length off the lead. The pair stayed eye-to-eye until the final furlong when Kavod pulled away to win by two lengths with Poppy Flower a length in front of the third place runner.
Trained by James Chapman for Tritain Biddinger, Kavod was bred by Steve Grant. The colt was making his second start after kicking off his career earlier this month at Keeneland.
Kavod is a three-quarter brother to FIRST SAMURAI’s stakes-placed daughter Gran Brandy and a half-brother the stakes placed Shrilanka among the five winners out of winning Pulpit mare Weekend Connection. That mare is a daughter of Grade 3 winner Fortuitous, who is a granddaughter of winner and top broodmare Lassie Connection.
LEA is among the top third crop sires by stakes winners with five, ahead of stallions such as Bayern, Tonalist, and Honor Code.