Chief Wallabee, dropping out of Grade 1 company after the Belmont Stakes, headlines Wednesday’s Listed Curlin at Saratoga for trainer Bill Mott and jockey Junior Alvarado. (NYRA Photo)
Christian Abdo
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Michael and Katherine Ball’s Kentucky homebred Chief Wallabee will drop out of graded stakes company for Wednesday’s Listed $150,000 Curlin presented by Casamigos, a nine-furlong test for sophomores who have not won a graded stakes, at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the Constitution bay was an 8 1/2-length fourth to Golden Tempo last out in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets on June 6 here. Chief Wallabee, when adding blinkers, was previously fourth beaten three lengths by that same rival in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
“He’s been fine with them,” Mott said of the blinkers. “We thought it added a little something to his finish, kept him going a little straighter maybe.”
In the Belmont Stakes, Chief Wallabee bobbled at the start under Junior Alvarado, traveled in fifth-of-9 through the half-mile in 48.29 seconds, improved and took command from Growth Equity when straightened for home, but Golden Tempo and Commandment edged past, with Renegade claiming show honors in a final time of 2:03.49.
“I thought we were going to be pretty tough to beat at that point,” Mott said of Chief Wallabee turning for home. “They were able to run him down.”
Commandment and Renegade are expected to be entered in next Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Jim Dandy presented by Mohegan Sun. The Jim Dandy serves as the traditional local prep for the Grade 1, $1.25 million DraftKings Travers, which Golden Tempo is targeting, on August 29.
Chief Wallabee was previously second and third to Commandment by less than one length in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and Grade 1 Florida Derby, in February and March, at Gulfstream Park. He won his seven-furlong debut in January there over eventual Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby winner The Puma.
“He’s done pretty well, considering we threw him to the wolves right away, I mean, immediately. He’s survived,” said Mott.
Chief Wallabee [post 4, Junior Alvarado] is out of the unraced Medaglia d’Oro mare A La Lucie, who was purchased for $1.1 million at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
BR Thoroughbreds, Lance Gasaway and Magdalena Racing’s Grade 1-placed Blackout Time [post 1, Jose Ortiz] drew off by six lengths last out in a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer over sloppy and sealed footing on June 27 at Churchill Downs. Trained by Ken McPeek, the Not This Time dark bay was previously fifth to Renegade in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby in March at Oaklawn Park, where Blackout Time was fourth in the Grade 2 Rebel earlier that month.
As a juvenile, Blackout Time dominated second-out by 9 3/4 lengths in August at Ellis Park ahead of a second to subsequent Champion 2-Year-Old Colt Ted Noffey in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity in October at Keeneland.
Blackout Time, a $210,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale, is out of the stakes-winning Elusive Quality mare Beauty Parlor and his second dam is multiple group-winner Moon Queen.
Flanagan Racing’s Sea Strike [post 6, Flavien Prat] stretches out after two dirt sprints to launch his career. Trained by five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the Midshipman chestnut won his six-furlong debut in April at Aqueduct Racetrack ahead of a last-out fifth in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance versus elders on June 6 Belmont Stakes Day here.
Sea Strike, a $650,000 purchase from the 2025 OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is out of the Line of David mare Meetmeonline, a half-sister to Grade 2-winner Bucchero, who stands in New York at Ironhorse Stallions and sired reigning Champion Male Sprinter Book’em Danno.
Rounding out the field is Listed turf stakes-placed Tiernanogue [post 5, Tyler Gaffalione] for trainer Brendan Walsh; two-time winner Gulfy [post 2, Kendrick Carmouche] for conditioner Gustavo Rodriguez; and the Jonathan Thomas-trained maiden winner Zihnal [post 3, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], who was a last-out fourth in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby on July 11 at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
The Curlin is slated as Race 6 on Wednesday’s eight-race card. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
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