Keeneland: Future Is Now wins by nose in Giant’s Causeway

In her first start after a long, winter break, Future Is Now outdueled Pandora’s Gift by a nose after a protracted stretch duel Sunday afternoon to win the 28th running of the Grade 3, $350,000 Giant’s Causeway (G3) for fillies and mares at Keeneland.

Trained by Mike Trombetta and ridden by Paco Lopez, Future Is Now completed the 5 1/2 furlongs over a turf course rated firm in 1:02.72. She won for the estate of longtime Mid-Atlantic owner and breeder Larry Johnson, who died Feb. 4.

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“It’s a lot. It’s very sentimental,” Trombetta said of the emotional victory. “Everybody’s worked hard, and the family has been supportive every step of the way, so it means the world.”

“That was not my plan,” Lopez said. “I told Michael I didn’t really want to make the lead. But she broke on top, and nobody else made it, so we had to take it.”

On the turn, Pandora’s Gift moved on even terms with Future Is Now, and the two hit the top of the stretch as a team. The lead switched between the two down the lane until just before the finish, where Future Is Now stuck her nose in front.

“I waited and waited until (Pandora’s Gift) passed me, and then I told (Future is Now) to go, and she finished very well. Michael told me, ‘Today, Paco, you were really lucky.’ ”

Now a two-time stakes winner at Keeneland following her triumph in the Franklin (G2) last out during the fall meet, Future Is Now is a 5-year-old Maryland-bred daughter of Great Notion out of Bernardini mare Past as Prelude.

A winner of five of her last six starts, all with Lopez aboard, Future Is Now improved her record to 15: 8-1-1 with three graded-stakes victories. Sunday’s $147,250 check increased her earnings to $748,410.

Future Is Now returned $6.96, $3.54 and $2.76. Pandora’s Gift, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., returned $3.78 and $2.80 and finished a length in front of Danse Macabre, who paid $3.20 to show under Joel Rosario.

It was another neck back to Toupie, who was followed in order by Get Twisted, Just a Care, Awesome Treat, Accomplished Girl and Lithe Spirit.

Future Is Now spent her winter at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland. Trombetta wondered how she would do coming back from her a six-month break.

“You always worry that you’re ready enough,” he said. “I kept her up north all winter. I watched her very closely and put plenty of time in her schedule in case we had bad weather, and although it was really cold, the winter did cooperate with us. We didn’t really miss any works or anything, so we were able to do it.”