NEWS
Kodiak Kowboy aims for Grade 1 win in Forego
Posted: Wednesday, September 02, 2009 5:54 PM
KODIAK KOWBOY
Adam Coglianese/NYRA photo
by Mike Curry
Kodiak Kowboy earned his first career Grade 1 win earlier this season and stamped himself one of the leaders of the sprint division.
Both of the four-year-old Posse colt’s victories this year came at seven furlongs, and Kodiak Kowboy will return to that distance on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course to take on 11 challengers in the $300,000 Forego Stakes (G1).
Kodiak Kowboy finished third in the six-furlong Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (G2) on August 9 in his most recent race, beaten by 2 1/4 lengths by Fabulous Strike (video). Prior to the Vanderbilt he had made three straight starts at the Forego’s seven-furlong distance.
Trained by Larry Jones for Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm, Kodiak Kowboy won the Carter Handicap (G1) by a head over Fabulous Strike at Aqueduct in April (video), finished seventh on a sloppy track in the Churchill Downs Stakes (G2) in May (video), and rebounded with a four-length romp in the Donald Levine Memorial Handicap in June at Philadelphia Park (video).
Kodiak Kowboy has won three of his previous four starts at the Forego distance, and also owns a pair of graded stakes wins at Saratoga. He won the 2007 Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) at two and the ’08 Amsterdam Stakes (G2) at three, both at 6 1/2 furlongs.
One of the more intriguing entrants for the Forego is multiple graded stakes winner Pyro, the 2008 Louisiana Derby (G2) winner who returned from an extended layoff with a runner-up finish in the James Marvin Stakes on July 29 at Saratoga (video).
The Pulpit colt had surgery to remove a bone chip from a knee after a sixth-place finish in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on October 25 at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita Park meeting. He made his four-year-old debut and first start for Godolphin Racing and trainer Saeed bin Suroor in the seven-furlong James Marvin.
Pyro won the Louisiana Derby, Risen Star Stakes (G3), and Northern Dancer Stakes (G3) last year and finished eighth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1). He also finished third in the Travers Stakes (G1) and second in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) while amassing $953,165 in purse earnings during his three-year-old campaign.
Pyro and Kodiak Kowboy have met only once before, finishing second and third, respectively in the 2007 Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).
True Quality has won two of four starts this season, including a victory in the General George Handicap (G2) (video). My Pal Charlie is winless in six starts this season after annexing the 2008 Super Derby (G2).
The Forego also drew James Marvin winner Gold Trippi; this year’s Shadwell Metropolitan (G1) and Carter Handicaps third-place finisher Driven by Success; and 2008 Belmont Stakes (G1) third-place finisher Ready’s Echo
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
