Coady Photography
Churchill Downs Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Courtlandt Farm’s Powerful contested the early pace from the inside and surged clear inside the final sixteenth of a mile to win Saturday’s second running of the $200,000 Ed Brown for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs by one length over Mr. Bob.
Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Powerful covered the 6 ½ furlongs on a fast track in 1:17.12.
“Nothing really went right last time in the Breeders’ Futurity (GI). We regrouped after that race and decided to cut back in distance. We thought highly of him early on and he showed who we thought he was today,” Asmussen said.
Race 9
A 2-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Nyquist out of the Pulpit mare Antiquity, Powerful improved his record to 2-1-0 in three starts and added $121,140 to his bankroll and increased his earnings to $207,390. Previously, he finished 11th in the $600,000 Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland after breaking his maiden at Saratoga.
Powerful returned $7.16, $3.66 and $2.50 as the 5-2 favorite in the field of seven juvenile sprinters. Mr. Bob, ridden by Luis Saez, returned $4.78 and $3.10 with Frosted Departure finishing third under Brian Hernandez Jr. and paying $3.82 to show.
“I rode him in his debut, and he showed some early speed that day. He sat a really good trip today and even taking pressure on the lead he was game to hold everyone off,” said Gaffalione.
Accident was fourth and was followed by Top Recruit, Bourbon Bash and Mounsieur
