Vitement scores in his May 3 debut at Churchill Downs (Coady Photography)
By Ryan Martin – NYRA Press Office
ELMONT, N.Y.— Showdown Kings’ Vitement will make both his stakes debut as well as his first start for trainer Eddie Kenneally in Sunday’s $150,000 Tremont, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for 2-year-olds at Belmont Park.
Vitement, by Mizzen Mast, was victorious on debut in a 4 1/2-furlong Churchill Downs maiden for previous trainer John Hancock. Sent off at 7-1 odds in the May 3 event, he kept favorite Sonofaship at bay in mid-stretch to win by three-quarters of a length under Reylu Gutierrez. He earned a 64 Beyer Speed Figure for the victory.
Since then, Vitement has breezed twice over the Churchill Downs main track, most recently going an easy half-mile in 51.80 seconds on June 2.
“We’ve been really happy with him since he came in,” Kenneally said. “He’s pretty fit and just had a race last month. We breezed him a few times and we’re impressed with the way he’s worked. Just a cool horse to be around.”
Kenneally has had a knack with conditioning young horses over the years, such as By who captured Saratoga Race Course’s Grade 3 Sanford in 2019 with By Your Side as well as last year’s Grade 3 Schuylerville with Just Cindy.
“These horses that can win early and run well in stakes early, it’s a natural thing for them,” Kenneally said. “They’re naturally precocious and they do things their own way. He fits under that billing quite nicely.”
Bred in Kentucky by Scarteen Stud, Vitement is out of the Discreet Cat mare Showed Up Late, whose dam Showlady is a half-sister to 1998 Champion Older Mare Escena. He is a direct descendant of Hall of Famer and influential matriarch Myrtlewood.
Flavien Prat picks up the mount from post 1.
Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen sends out Mike McCarty’s maiden Gold Sweep [post 6, Jose Ortiz], who enters off a narrow defeat on debut. The son of Speightstown was a late-closing second on May 18 in a five-furlong Churchill Downs maiden tilt, finishing a neck behind the victorious Wilson Q. He registered a field-best 75 Beyer for the debut effort.
Gold Sweep, bred in Kentucky by Joe Anzalone, was bought for $285,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Sale. He is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Wonder Brew, whose dam Ginger Brew was the 2008 Champion 3-Year-Old Filly in Canada.
Trainer John Salzman, Jr. will send up Jumpingjaggerflash [post 4, Jevian Toledo] by way of Maryland, where he won on debut for a $45,000 tag on May 7 at Laurel Park going 4 1/2 furlongs.
Salzman, Jr. expressed a sense of cautious optimism in giving the son of Street Magician a jump up in class.
“He has done everything I’ve asked of him,” Salzman said. “Did I think he would win the first time? I did. Is he a $150,000 added stake horse? It depends who shows up, I guess. But he’s worked good since his win, so we’ll give him a chance.”
Paradise Farms Corp’s Ship Cadet [post 5, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] will try dirt following a triumphant turf debut for trainer Mike Maker. The son of Midshipman was a three-quarter length winner on May 12 over Belmont’s Widener turf course.
Ship Cadet is out of the Washington State-bred Harbor the Gold mare Bella Mia, a three-time stakes winner in her native state.
Completing the field are maiden winners Yo Yo Candy [post 2, Angel Castillo], Jive [post 3, Javier Castellano], and Frosty the Giant [post 7, Manny Franco].
The Tremont honors the Dwyer Brothers’ sharp juvenile, who was regarded by many 19th century turf historians as the best 2-year-old ever to race in the United States at that time. He won all 13 of his starts at two within a span of only 10 weeks, which included stakes victories at Jerome Park, Sheepshead Bay and Monmouth Park. The inaugural running of the Tremont took place at the defunct Gravesend Race Course in 1887, and has been won by future Hall of Famers such as Man o’ War [1918], Buckpasser [1965], Foolish Pleasure [1974], and Alydar [1977].
America’s Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the spring meet at Belmont Park on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule.
