Freshman sire Anchor Down was represented by his first winner Aug. 9 when Drop Anchor scored an upset at odds of 12-1 in a six-furlong maiden special weight test at Ellis Park in his debut.
Trained by Kenny McPeek for owners Harold Lerner, AWC Stables, Nehoc Stables, and David Bernsen, Drop Anchor broke near the back of the eight-horse field with Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard and remained near the back as fractions went in :23 and :46.69 for a half-mile.
Heading into the stretch, Drop Anchor was still back in fifth but was closing fast from the far outside as the leaders bunched up. Running in the center of the track, he showed a sharp turn of foot to earn a 1 1/2-length score in a final time of 1:12.32 on the fast track.
Bred in Kentucky by Chad Frederick and Phoenix Farm and Racing, Drop Anchor is the first foal to race out of the Curlin mare Black Coronas.
Anchor Down, a 9-year-old son of Tapit , won the 2016 Kelso Handicap (G2) while racing for Alto Racing under the care of trainer Todd Pletcher. He also placed second to Frosted in that year's Mohegan Sun Metropolitan Handicap (G1) in which the winner ran off to a 14 1/4-length score. Prior to that start, Anchor Down led gate-to-wire and romped by 6 3/4 lengths in the Westchester Stakes (G3). All three efforts came at Belmont Park.
He was retired to Gainesway Farm in December 2016 with a record of 5-2-2 and earnings of $734,254. His initial stud fee was $10,000 through 2018, and his fee was dropped to $7,500 for 2019 and 2020.
