Run Curtis Run dominates Rick Violette Stakes

By Tom Law

Run Curtis Run proved he could handle moisture in the racetrack winning an off-the-turf 5-furlong maiden race in his debut at Belmont Park. The 2-year-old son of Summer Front did so again Wednesday at Saratoga Race Course and also showed he could run back on relatively short rest winning the $93,000 Rick Violette Stakes without a serious threat.

Run Curtis Run, a product of Larry Goichman’s successful New York-based breeding operation, returned in 19 days off his July 2 maiden score to win the 6-furlong Rick Violette. Jose Ortiz rode the 3 3/4-length winner for trainer Mike Maker and owners Mike Dubb and Mike Caruso.

Ortiz rode the Violette-trained New York-breds Samraat and Upstart in the Kentucky Derby and said he arrived at Saratoga “with him on my mind.”

“I wanted to win it,” he said. “I knew I had a shot. My horse ran very good first time out. It was great for me to win the race named after him, especially with his family here. I have a lot of good memories with him. I rode my first Kentucky Derby for him with Samraat and I rode my second Kentucky Derby for him on Upstart.

“He gave me great opportunities at a very young age. He believed in me. He knew I was up and coming and that meant a lot to me that he believed in me at that point in my career.”

The Rick Violette was part of the all-day inaugural New York Thoroughbred Aftercare Day hosted by the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc., New York Racing Association and New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association.

Run Curtis Run’s career is just starting, and in a promising way.

He dueled for the lead with Surprise Boss before wearing down that foe late to win his debut as the even-money favorite in a field of seven. Maker breezed Run Curtis Run a half in :47 on the Saratoga main track July 17, fastest of 139 at the distance that morning, the day after he entered the colt in the Rick Violette.

Run Curtis Run didn’t face a serious challenge from Surprise Boss, also running back in 19 days, or the other two runners left in the field after Maker scratched Barese, in the early stages. Ready A. P., a daughter of More Than Ready taking on males for Christophe Clement, applied some pressure early while Run Curtis Run clicked off the opening quarter-mile in :22.77.

Run Curtis Run continued to lead by a half-length from Ready A. P. through a half in :46.12, shrugged off that rival into the stretch and opened up. Run Curtis Run flew past the eighth pole 3 ½ lengths in front and extended it another quarter-length more on the wire with Ready A. P. second by a neck from 7-5 favorite Coinage. Surprise Boss trailed throughout and finished fourth. Run Curtis Run won in 1:12.48.

“He has some natural speed and with him drawing the inside post, it wasn’t that hard to figure out in a small field,” Maker said of the strategy.

“I broke quite well and he was fast out of there, so I didn’t have to ask him for a lot,” Ortiz said. “He put me on the lead and I was very happy with that. I had the rail and I wanted the lead. He was going nice and relaxed in the first part of the race and when I asked him to go, he was there for me. All credit goes to Mike, who had him ready, and the guys at the barn.”

Foaled at Edition Farm in Hyde Park, Run Curtis Run is the sixth foal out of the stakes-winning Grade 3-placed Forest Wildcat mare My Magic Moment. Bred in New York and raced by Goichman, My Magic Moment earned $149,813 during three seasons, winning the Missy Moo I Love You Stakes and finishing third in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo Stakes in 2008 and placing in two stakes in 2009.

Goichman, through consignor Indian Creek, sold Run Curtis Run for $45,000 to Sean S. Perl Bloodstock LLC at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale.

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2021/07/21/run-curtis-run-rolls-in-rick-violette-stakes/

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