Not This Time looks like a star in Iroquois romp
It’s not often I rate a colt coming out of a maiden special weight at Ellis Park as one of the top juveniles in the country, but after today, the secret is officially out on Not This Time. The Albaugh Family Stable owned runner turned his graded stakes debut into a one-horse show, romping home in the Grade 3 Iroquois, over a muddy track at Churchill Downs, by 8 3/4 impressive lengths.
As a Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ event, the son of Giant’s Causeway, and half-brother to Liam's Map, punched his ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile with complete authority. Doing it over the host track of the 2017 Kentucky Derby, Not This Time also announced himself as an early colt to watch on the Derby trail, while earning the first ten points towards qualification into the Run for the Roses.
Trained by Louisville native, Dale Romans, and ridden by veteran rider, Robby Albarado, Not This Time was made the Iroquois favorite off a ten-length maiden score on August 12. Earlier in the card, the horse who finished a distant second that day, Society Beau, broke his maiden in strong fashion. Today, Blame Will was sent out to make the early fractions, the favorite hopped at the break, and had ground to make up right out of the starting gate. He was content to follow the proceedings from near the back of the pack, and on the outside.
Blame Will led the field down the backstretch through fractions of :24.30 and :49.57, with Thirstforlife in close pursuit. On the far turn, Recruiting Ready and Thirstforlife took the measure of the early leader, but by this time Not This Time was beginning to make his presence felt with long strides on the outside.
As they turned for home, Not This Time quickly moved in on the leaders while four-wide. It did not take him long to go right by the leaders at the head of the stretch, and from there it was only a matter of how much he would win by, while under only a hand ride by Albarado. Lookin at Lee went by Recruiting Ready late for the place, but a long way back of the winner.
The winning rider jumped off his mount impressed. “He’s a nice horse, man,” said Albarado. “He’s got a future.”
The final time for the 1 1/16 miles over the muddy main track was 1:45.22. That clocking was nearly two full seconds faster than the female version, the Pocahontas, was run a few races later on the the card. As the 9-5 favorite, Not This Time returned $5.60, $4.00, and $2.80 across the board. The 8-1 exacta over fellow Ellis Park graduate Lookin at Lee was good for $40.60.
With the victory, Not This Time raised his career record to 3-2-0-0, with earnings of $114,183, while earning his first stakes victory. A Kentucky homebred, the dark bay colt has impressed his trainer since day one.
“He’s the real deal,” Romans said. “He’s spooky good and I think he’s everything I’ve always thought he was. He’s just so talented. That (slow break) wasn’t going to get him beat.”
Romans also said the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on November 5 would likely be next for Not This Time, but he did not rule out a run in next month’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland depending on how he rebounds from this big effort.