This past weekend was a major one for Claiborne-sired runners, as four different stallions were represented in the winner’s circle in stakes races, with two of them coming at the highest level.
Leading the way were Flatter and Arch, as they sired the winners of the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and Cotillion Stakes (G1), respectively, on the biggest day of racing at Parx. Both races carry a purse of $1 million.
Flatter’s son West Coast has become one of the leading 3-year-olds this season, and he continued to prove it with his 7 ¼ length romp in the Pennsylvania Derby, which was contested as Grade 1 for the first time this year.
The victory was the fifth straight for West Coast, and his second consecutive Grade 1 score after taking the Travers Stakes. He also won the Los Alamitos Derby (G3) earlier in the year.
“This horse is just getting better and better,” said winning trainer Bob Baffert. “We thought he would run a big race, and he was calm in the paddock. He is just a big boy. It was nice the way he ran. He did it pretty easily. He’s just learning how to run, and to have a 3-year-old this time of year and the way he won the Travers and now winning this race, he is going to be a horse to be reckoned with.”
Earlier on the same card, Arch’s daughter It Tiz Well won the Cotillion by two lengths over multiple Grade 1 winner Abel Tasman.
“Very satisfying,” said Dan Ward, assistant to winning trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. “She has been running good races and improving all the time. I thought we had a good chance. I thought we might get that trip. She did a super job.”
Previously this season, It Tiz Well won the Delaware Oaks (G3) and Honeybee Stakes (G3), and she came into the Cotillion having finished second in the Alabama Stakes (G1).
Blame was also represented by a stakes winner at Parx, with his daughter Firsthand Report winning the $100,000 Alphabet Soup Stakes. Furthermore, his 2-year-old filly Noblame is now a perfect 3-for-3 after taking the Rachel’s Turn Stakes at Charles Town in her first attempt at stakes company.
Meanwhile, at Remington Park, Untrapped gave Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen his first win in the Oklahoma Derby (G3). The 3-year-old Trappe Shot colt cruised to victory, winning by two lengths.
“Remington means a ton to me,” said Asmussen. “The first time we were ever leading trainer was here in 1992. Hopefully this will be the first of many.”
Ultra-consistent Untrapped had finished second or third in five graded stakes races this season, before breaking through with his Oklahoma Derby victory.
Blame, Flatter, and Trappe Shot all stand at Claiborne Farm. Arch, the sire of champion Blame, stood his entire stallion career at Claiborne until his death in 2016.