Stephanie Van Minos/Tom Cooley
West Hills Giant, who broke his maiden routing on turf at Saratoga, proved his mettle sprinting on dirt Saturday at Finger Lakes Casino and Racetrack when he won the 50th running of the $247,338 New York Breeders’ Futurity for New York-bred 2-year-olds, while giving his freshman sire Frost Giant his first progeny stakes winner.
Owned jointly by Robert Castelli, Andrew Cohen and Gina Bentivegna, West Hills Giant scored his maiden victory for trainer John Terranova in his second career start on Saratoga’s closing day, stalking the pace in a 1 1/16-mile turf race, before coming on gamely to get the victory by a head. Cutting back to six furlongs in the Futurity and trying the dirt for the first time, West Hills Giant was reunited on Saturday with Jose Espinoza, aboard for the maiden win, and went to post eight as 6-1 third choice in the field of ten.
West Hills Giant stumbled at the start, but recovered well and made steady progress from eighth position while racing in the clear well off the rail. Meanwhile, up front, Stoneless emerged with the lead from a six-horse scramble for the top spot tracked intently by Waterway.
After West Hills Giant caught up to the leaders rounding the far turn, he circled his rivals and emerged with the lead at the head of the stretch. Meanwhile Saint Arthur, who enjoyed a ground-saving trip rallied at the rail and moved up into second.
In the final sixteenth, West Hills Giant lengthened his lead to 1 1/4 lengths, while Broman homebred and 3-5 favorite In Harm’s Way, who led briefly early on but took back into sixth, closed quickly down the center of the track to collar Saint Arthur and finish second by a neck. Saint Arthur finished a neck clear of Aspirant winner Tequila Hero. After early fractions of 22.72 and 46.07, West Hills Giant completed the six furlongs over the fast going in a final time of 1:12.81. [VIDEO]
Stephanie Van Minos/Tom Cooley
The $148,403 winner’s share of the Futurity purse brings West Hills Giant’s earnings after two victories to $190,653.
Bred by co-owner Robert Castelli, West Hills Giant is the first foal produced by Outtawesthills, a New York-bred turf winner also bred by Castelli and trained by Terranova ($39,992). Outtawesthills currently has a yearling filly by Big Brown and a weanling colt by Frost Giant.
West Hills Giant’s freshman sire Frost Giant is a Grade 1-winning son of Giant’s Causeway standing at Vinery New York at Sugar Maple.
