Eighth in Forego H. (G1) on Sept. 1 at Saratoga
High Finance, second to Kelly's Landing in the January 6 Mr. Prospector Handicap (G3) at Gulfstream Park, finally got his first graded stakes victory on July 4 in the Tom Fool Breeders' Cup Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park.
High Finance battled speedsters Commentator and Rondo before putting them away and drawing clear late for a 2 3/4-length victory.
The seven-furlong Tom Fool was indeed an early battle of speedsters with early fractions of :22.07 and :43.99, High Finance getting the distance in 1:21.81.
"If you look at 10,000 races, you'll never see that again," Nick Zito, trainer of Commentator, said. "A :21 second quarter? Have you ever heard of that? At least go :44. I've never seen that as long as long as I've been coming to the track."
High Finance was again in the thick of battle on September 1 in the Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, with more reasonable early fractions of :22.86 and :45.24. But the results were far less rewarding as he faded to eighth in the ten-horse field, 17 3/4 lengths behind winner Midnight Lute.
"He's supposed to be able to run :45 on this race track," trainer Rick Violette Jr. said. "With these horses, that wasn't a stupid pace. He just had no fight.
"We'll take a good look at him and see if we can find a reason."
October 21 - Four furlongs breezing in :48.65 at Aqueduct, track fast. Eighth best of 19 workouts at the distance.
October 18 - Four furlongs breezing in :47.21 at Aqueduct, track fast. Best of 23 workouts at the distance.
October 8 - One mile breezing in 1:39.08 at Aqueduct, track fast. Only workout at the distance.