Michael Burns Photography
Doubling the Empire-bred glory on a weekend already graced by Dayatthespa’s Grade 1 victory in the QE II Challenge Cup at Keeneland, lightly raced Next Question burst into the limelight on Sunday, winning the Grade 1, $500,000 (Canadian) Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine in his stakes debut and earning an all-expenses paid berth into the BC Turf Sprint on November 3 at Santa Anita Park.
Next Question’s connections – Kirk Wycoff’s Three Diamonds Farm and Mike Trombetta – thought enough of the 4-year-old gelded son of Stormy Atlantic to supplement him to the Nearctic Stakes for $10,000. The Maryland-based runner, who had only six starts under his belt going into the race, had just collected his second career victory on September 12 when he crushed an open first-level allowance field at Belmont Park going seven furlongs on turf.
Placed in the capable hands of Ramon Dominguez, but dismissed at odds of 16-1 in the full 11-horse field, Next Question moved into contention immediately from post seven, engaging in an intense duel with Bear Tough Tiger, who broke from the one-hole, that lasted until late stretch.
After finally shaking off his rival in the final sixteenth, Next Question had enough left in the tank to hold against late closer Night Carnation (GB) before he crossed the wire with a half-length advantage. Bear Tough Tiger completed the trifecta. The final time over a turf course rated “good” was 1:09.32.
“I knew judging by the [Daily Racing Form] that he would be forwardly placed,” said Dominguez. “He is a horse with a lot of natural speed and when we left the gate and I saw the one [Bear Tough Tiger] trying to make the lead, I was excited about that. I kind of wanted to rate and stalk, but my horse was really pulling me and taking me forward so I decided to just keep him together. I was very happy with how he relaxed and turning for home he gave me a pretty good kick.”
Unraced at two, Next Question broke his maiden at second asking last year at Woodbine going 5 1/2 furlongs on Polytrack, but spent the next 13 months on the sidelines. Returning as a turf runner in June of this year, the gelding contended in all four of his starts prior to the Nearctic, scoring a victory and a second, and never finishing more than four lengths behind the winner, despite some adverse racing luck. Next Question’s US$306,210 winner’s share of the Nearctic purse brings his earnings total to $403,013 (7-3-1-1). Last year’s Nearctic winner, Regally Ready, went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs.
Bred by Dr. Lance Bell and foaled at BellView in Greenfield Center, Next Question is the first winner from four foals to start out of the unplaced Slew City Slew mare Seattle Stardust, who is a half sister to 2004 BC Mile winner Singletary.
Offered three times at public auction, Next Question changed hands only once, when he was purchased by Three Diamonds at the 2009 New York Mixed sale for $30,000. He failed to meet his reserve when bid up to $29,000 as a weanling at the 2008 Keeneland November Breeding Stock sale and in 2010 was a $170,000 buy-back at the OBS Spring 2-year-olds in training sale.
