Making his first start on dirt after a pair of solid turf runs at Kentucky Downs, Red Lane Thoroughbreds' Jas made good on the expectations of the Asmussen family Oct. 25 when he outdueled Staunch in the stretch of the $195,000 Street Sense Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.
A half brother to grade 3 winner Hall of Fame through the unraced Giant's Causeway mare Flag Day, the son of Justify debuted over yielding turf at Ellis Park Aug. 1 with an eye on lucrative purses at Kentucky Downs. He broke his maiden there by 4 lengths over 1 mile Aug. 29, and returned Sept. 9 to run second to Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) entrant How's Al Today in the Juvenile Mile Stakes.
With those tasks behind him, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen then pointed the colt toward the dirt. His jockey, Steve's son Keith, has ridden the horse often in the mornings and said they always felt like he would be a better dirt horse.
"He's a very talented horse," Steve said. "He ran some really nice races over at Kentucky Downs, but he's always trained really well here at Churchill, and we expected a good run from him today."
Jas broke smartly from the gate and, seeing Flavien Prat sending Card Man to the lead, Keith got his horse to relax in second. Although, entering the backstretch, longshot Never a Doubt moved up on the outside, forcing the younger Asmussen to make a decision.
"I had to, not necessarily use him or anything, but just kind of roll up into a cemented position down the backside," Keith said. "I thought maybe that would come back to bite me, turning for home especially with how the Rags to Riches just ran."
The Rags to Riches, the Street Sense's sister race run a half hour earlier, saw a filly come from behind to win.
The pressure was on after fractions of :24.20, :48.03, and 1:12.19, especially as Tyler Gaffalione moved Bourbon Fueled Racing's Staunch into attack position on his outside.
Keith had been aboard Gun for Glory in a Sept. 26 maiden race at Churchill Downs when he felt he could not lose entering the stretch, just for Staunch to zip right on by for a 4-length win. He knew he would need a huge effort from Jas to hold that Brendan Walsh trainee at bay.
That's exactly what he got as Jas never let Staunch by for the length of the stretch, outlasting for a neck victory while completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.99, paying $20.12 to win. Mystik Bayou, a half brother to 2024 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mystik Dan , was third.
"I thought it was ultra-impressive," Keith said. "This horse showed epic staying ability, settled beautifully in the final turn. I had the world of confidence going into this race, I think a ton of this horse."
That strong connection built with Jas in his morning training brought the emotions out of Keith as they crossed the wire, the young rider tearing up on the gallop out to the point his goggles were fogging up. That emotion came purely from seeing the horse earn his accomplishments.
"Working with the horses in the morning and seeing their mindsets and physicality progress, that's why I wake up and do it," Keith said. "I think that's the coolest thing: horses progressing and blowing their expectations out of the water.
"He's very content with himself, he's a great doer. He's got the kindest disposition to be around. If he lays in the stall, you can lay with him. He's as cool as can be."
The future certainly appears bright, and with his Sunday evening triumph he earned himself 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby; the remainder of the top five earning points on a 5-3-2-1 scale. Steve said that he believes the horse will get only get better as the distances get longer.
Jas was bred in Kentucky by Earle Mack and increased his career earnings to $368,139.
Video: Street Sense S. (G3)
Wharfie Closes to Win Rags to Riches
With Kentucky Oaks points available on the same point scale in the Rags to Riches, Godolphin can once again start dreaming of lilies after Wharfie showed stretch-running ability while triumphant in the $190,000 contest.
Two years ago, the Rags to Riches served as the starting point for Godolphin homebred Good Cheer on a Road to the Kentucky Oaks that would ultimately end in her etching her name into the race's historic list of winners.
"We've had luck in this race before, and we had good luck with Good Cheer a couple years ago," Godolphin USA director of bloodstock Michael Banahan said. "I'm not saying she's going to emulate what Good Cheer did, but at least we've taken those baby steps initially with her."
Wharfie has strong Godolphin ties as a daughter of Darley stallion Essential Quality . Her dam, Godolphin homebred Waterside, is by their late stallion Medaglia d'Oro and is a half sister to grade 1 winner and Kentucky Oaks runner-up Little Belle.
Despite the pedigree giving confidence, Wharfie was a late addition to the Hall of Fame barn of Bill Mott, joining him at Saratoga Race Course in late June when most of the 2-year-olds come in May. Yet, she developed into a racehorse quick and was ready to debut by the end of the meet, finishing fifth over 6 furlongs Aug. 29.
That start prepped her well to stretch out to 1 mile in a Sept. 19 maiden race at Belmont Park, where she stalked within 2 lengths of the pace and won by 2 3/4 lengths.
"She's made a lot of fast progress," Mott said. "We got her ready to run by the time Belmont opened, and here she is."
Jockey Junior Alvarado found himself last entering the clubhouse turn in a tight spot between horses while Lunar Velocity set fractions of :23.88, :48.63, and 1:13.71. Alvarado remained at the back but got her into gear around the far turn, swinging wide into the stretch.
Kenny McPeek-trained longshot Juana Margarita took command in the stretch as Wharfie made her run, drifting toward the closer's path with about a furlong to go. That did not ruin the momentum as Wharfie got up to win by three-quarters of a length, completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.91 and paying $5.40. First Laugh, another Godolphin homebred trained by Brad Cox, finished third.
"It's a great start, and a beautiful family," Banahan said. "We were excited about her when she won in New York, she did it the right way at Belmont. We were looking forward to coming out here and seeing what she could do. We get first and third with two nice fillies, that was fabulous."
Whether Wharfie ends up emulating Good Cheer will be determined in the coming months, but as far as the team at Godolphin is concerned, she's on the right path
"It's happened before," Banahan said, "so we wouldn't mind it happening again."
