Called to Serve Much the Best in Broad Brush

Under confident handling, Marc Ferrell’s Called to Serve waited behind the leaders, tipped to the outside and pounced, winning as his rider pleased in the $125,000 Broad Brush Stakes, the co-feature on New Year’s Eve at Laurel Park.

Joel Rosario was at the controls as the Nick Canani trainee covered the nine furlong distance in 1:50.75. Eighttofasttocatch, who has six stakes victories at Laurel Park, set the pace and was racing comfortably on the lead but could offer no resistance when Called to Serve ranged up to his outside.  He finished second,  5-3/4 lengths behind the leader and five lengths ahead of Hughes Next, who surged to beat Thunder Lord at the finish line to take third.

“This horse is doing real good right now,” Rosario said. “I just wanted to keep him out of trouble. He was doing it really easy. I passed the horse inside me really quick and got the job done. I think he is a nice horse. This is the third time I have ridden him and he has been better each time.”

Called to Serve, an Afleet Alex offspring who won the Discovery Handicap (G3) in his previous start, paid $3.

“He’s really only getting better. He’s really growing up and he’s learning how to be a real racehorse,” added Canani. “He is a very versatile horse and the longer they go the better he is. He is becoming a really nice horse.”

Canani said his star would run next in one of three graded races: the Donn Handicap (G1) at Gulfstream Park , the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) or the Strub Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.