Today’s Flavor scores his fourth consecutive win, romping in an allowance Feb. 18 (NYRA/Coglianese)
G1-Placed Pass the Champagne To Run In G3 Distaff Handicap
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Reddam Racing’s Today’s Flavor will make his graded stakes debut in the seven-furlong Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap presented by NYRA Bets on April 8 amidst a four-race win streak for trainer George Weaver.
The 5-year-old son of Laoban, bred in the Empire State by Joseph Calvo, breezed a half-mile in 50.28 seconds over Belmont Park’s dirt training track Friday, a move Weaver said he was pleased with.
“He’s training well,” said Weaver. “The work went perfect and it was just what we wanted.”
Today’s Flavor has been perfect in his four starts since transferring to Weaver from the barn of Doug O’Neill, beginning with an 8 1/2-length romp to break his maiden at fifth asking in a state-bred sprint on November 27 at the Big A. He followed with a pair of open-lengths scores against state-bred allowance company before stepping up to open company for a 6 1/2-length victory last out on February 18. He has finished first or second in 7-of-8 lifetime outings, including runner-up efforts in his first two starts in California to subsequent graded stakes-winners Laurel River and Essential Wager, respectively.
“He’s just a real talented horse and he was running against some tough horses in California,” said Weaver. “He’s just getting confident. This is obviously a much tougher race, but he deserves a shot to see what he can do. He’s been impressive every time.”
Weaver also plans to run Grade 1-placed Pass the Champagne in the seven-furlong Grade 3, $150,000 Distaff Handicap on April 7 at the Big A for her third start off an 11-month layoff. The daughter of Flatter was last seen finishing a close fourth in the Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie on February 18 at Laurel Park.
“She’s been doing well and she ran OK in the Barbara Fritchie,” said Weaver. “We want to give her another shot and we like the distance. We’re hoping she steps it up a little bit.”
Pass the Champagne was a close second to subsequent dual Champion Malathaat in the 2021 Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland where she had a two-length advantage at the stretch call but was caught in the shadow of the wire by her foe and defeated a head. She went on to finish a distant 12th in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks before two lengthy respites with a February 2022 optional claiming victory at Gulfstream in between.
Owned by R.A. Hill Stable, Black Type Thoroughbreds, Rock Ridge Racing, BlackRidge Stables and James Brown, Pass the Champagne is out of the stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Champagne Taste and is a half-sister to graded stakes-winner Miss Kentucky.
