Giant Run proves large in the Centaur Stakes at Indiana Grand
On a beautiful late summer day in the Hoosier State, the stars of the sport invaded Shelbyville, Indiana to compete on the grass in a pair of $200,000 stakes races for three-year-olds at Indiana Grand.
The Centaur Stakes is the jewel of the Indiana Grand Turf racing season. Stellar fields of top 3-year-old colts have competed in this race over the years and this edition of the Centaur was no different.
The Thomas Albertrani charge, Giant Run proved larger than Life in scoring the third stakes win of his career, while winning the Centaur Stakes. The son of Giant's Causeway has been ultra-competitive as a sophomore, with wins in the Cutler Bay stakes at Gulfstream Park and the Manilla Stakes at Belmont. He came into the Centaur Stakes off a 4th place finish in the Hall of Fame Stakes (G2) at historic Saratoga Race Course. Giant Run took a front running strategy in the Hall of Fame stakes, but jockey Joe Bravo would change those tactics in the Centaur.
The field of 10 colts and geldings broke beautifully in the Centaur. The Tom Amoss trained Pilot House gunned to the lead under jockey Francisco Torres. 142-1 long-shot Back Togetheragain chased in 2nd under Rodney Prescott. Holding Gold and Florent Geroux sat in 3rd, with Uncle Brennie a close 4th, and Giant Run with Jersey Joe Bravo sitting the dream trip behind the dueling front runners. Pilot House guided the field through a quarter in 23.51 and the half in 46.91.
As they reached the top of the stretch, the speed began to retreat as Pilot House and Uncle Brennie felt the pressure of the early duel. Giant Run made giant strides going four wide, quickly sweeping to the lead in the stretch. Surgical Strike began to close swiftly on the outside with Zapperini making his move inside of him. Giant Run continued his strong turn of foot crossing the wire 3/4-lengths in front. It took a photo and a mere inch to separate Surgical Strike from Zapperini with Surgical Strike getting the nod for second.
Giant Run boosted his career earnings well over $350,000 with his win in the Centaur Stakes. The up-and-coming colt looks primed for a big fall campaign. Jockey Joe Bravo couldn't be happier with how his colt ran, "Every race, you learn more and more about a horse and I probably learned the most about this horse (Giant Run) when I rode him at Gulfstream and finished second (in the grade III $150,000 Palm Beach Stakes)," said Bravo. "He has a good kick at the end so we wanted to let the others go on early, and then close. We got a great trip today."
Giant Run could be blossoming into a Goliath of the Turf Course. The sky is the limit for this son of Giant's Causeway and I look forwarded to seeing him grow and win in the future.