It took Woodford Racing, Lanes End Farm, Phipps Stable, Ken Langone and Edward Hudson Jr.'s Perform six tries since last summer to break his maiden, racing against competition that included some of the top point-earners for the Kentucky Derby (G1).
He needed only one more start, 35 days later in his stakes debut, to make a return visit to the winner's circle.
Ridden by Feargal Lynch for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, Perform sprung a 10-1 upset of the $125,000 Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park, making a dramatic rush in the final sixteenth of a mile and sticking his head out at the wire to edge a game Ninetyprcentmaddie.
The 42nd running of the 1 1/8-mile Federico Tesio anchored four stakes worth $450,000 in purses Saturday at the Maryland track.
The Tesio for an eighth straight year served as a "Win and In" qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated 3-year-olds to the 148th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 20 at historic Pimlico Race Course, though Perform is not Triple Crown nominated and would need to be supplemented to the Preakness on entry day for a cost of $150,000 to receive the perk.
Perform, bred in Kentucky by Michael Orem and JB Lane Orem, rallied from last to win the Tesio, completing 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.18. He paid $22.
The Good Magic colt caught stretch leader Ninetyprcentmaddie late. There was a break of 1 1/4 lengths from the runner-up back to Summer Cause in third.
"I knew with all that speed up ahead in front there were always a few horses that were going to press the pace. It was going to be a quick pace and it was going to set up for a horse coming from behind," Lynch said.
Perform fetched $230,000 as a yearling in 2021 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and ran second on debut last July at Belmont Park to subsequent Sapling winner Lost Ark . He was fourth behind Disarm second time out and third to eventual Gotham (G3) winner Raise Cain at Keeneland in October. Raise Cain and Disarm, the Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up, are potential Kentucky Derby starters.
In his sophomore opener, Perform ran fourth behind Mage, who would come back to be second to 2-year-old champion and Derby favorite Forte in the Florida Derby (G1) April 1 at Gulfstream Park. Mage is also pointed to the Derby.
A total of 22 Tesio winners have gone on to run in the Preakness, the last being Alwaysmining in 2019. Maryland-bred Deputed Testamony (1983) is the only horse to sweep both races.
Video: Federico Tesio S. (BT)
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
