Saratoga: Think Big, Obliteration win undercard graded stakes

Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Think Big proved a stretch in distance was well within his range, surging late to overtake 9-5 favorite Intellect and capture the Grade 3, $175,000 Kelso Stakes, a one-mile, inner-turf test for older horses Saturday at Saratoga.

Trained by Michael Stidham, the 4-year-old Twirling Candy gelding made six previous starts at 5 ½ furlongs, taking the Shakertown (G2) in April at Keeneland and the Turf Sprint (G2) in May at Churchill Downs. With his Kelso score, he avenged a troubled off-the-board effort as the favorite last out in the Jaipur (G1) at Saratoga and opened options for potential targets down the road.

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Stidham said the idea of stretching Think Big in distance always had been on his mind.

“At some point, we were going to try stretching him at least up to a mile,” Stidham said. “After what happened last time where he got off bad and had no chance, we thought, OK, here’s our chance to do it. He had won two Grade 2s in a row going 5 1/2 (furlongs), so it wasn’t something we were going to do out of those races. But when the last race went sideways, we decided now’s our chance.”

Donegal Momentum, last-out winner of the Grade 3 Poker here, broke alertly from post 4 under Javier Castellano, but Irad Ortiz Jr.-piloted Arzak was hustled from post 6 and led the field into the first turn as Win for the Money traveled alongside Donegal Momentum.

Arzak established a clear advantage onto the backstretch to mark the opening quarter-mile in 23.14 seconds before Castellano asked Donegal Momentum to advance and narrow the margin through a half-mile in 46.43 seconds. Ortiz and Think Big were content to stalk from fourth on the outside of Intellect with those two advancing smartly into the final turn, avoiding Donegal Momentum, who stumbled suddenly when otherwise traveling well.

Intellect, with Flavien Prat up, and wide-rallying Win for the Money loomed large late in the turn with Imagine overtaking tiring Arzak in upper stretch. However, Think Big was full of run and reaching for more ground with his terrific turn of foot, angling to the outside of Arzak and surging to the inside of Intellect at the sixteenth pole to score by one-length with a final time of 1:32.81.

“That was a good trip. Horse was traveling good every step of the way,” Ortiz said. “Unfortunately, something happened with (Donegal Momentum). I don't know what. It was a bit scary, but I was able to make it through without any contact. I was able to get a nice trip. I split horses, and my horse gave me an explosive kick.”

Prat said he felt he had to move a little early due to Donegal Momentum’s misstep.

“The trip was OK. I had to move soon, because (Donegal Momentum), I don’t know if he slipped or something, but it changed my plan, and then I got to the front, and you wait on horses after that,” Prat said.

Stidham said he wasn’t sure Think Big was going to have the momentum to secure the win as the field straightened away.

“It looked like we were dropping back and really. I didn’t think we were going to have much of a shot,” Stidham said. “Then all of a sudden he did what he did going 5 1/2, which is rare for a horse to have the turn of foot at 5 1/2 and going a mile. That’s what made it impressive to me.”

It was 1 1/4 lengths back to Win for the Money in third with Neat, Mountain Bear, Arzak and Donegal Momentum rounding out the order of finish. Nantasket Beach and main-track-only entrants Wynstock, Yo Daddy, Bank Frenzy and Game Warden were scratched.

Trainer Tom Morley said all appeared to be in good order with Donegal Momentum, who kept his footing and raced through the wire.

“He went down on his nose. Javier said, ‘I was a foot off the ground. He came up underneath me and galloped through the wire fine. Jogged back fine,’ ” Morley said. “We’ll check him out top to toe, obviously, but thank God he appears to be OK."

Stidham said Think Big’s performance likely earned him a shot in the Fourstardave (G1) on Aug. 2, a win-and-you’re-in for the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

“It certainly (comes into play) without a doubt. Hopefully that could be our Grade 1 that we missed out on last time,” Stidham said.

Think Big, out of stakes-winning Street Sense mare Always Thinking, banked $96,250 in victory while improving his record 11: 6-0-1. He returned $15.00 for a $2 win bet.

Obliteration runs away in Sanford

Obliteration was impressive improving to 2-for-2 when he won by 10 1/2 lengths in the $175,000 Sanford (G3) a six-furlong sprint for six 2-year-olds.

Owned by Leland Ackerley Racing and trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the Violence bay graduated by a widening 7 1/2 lengths sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on June 12 at Churchill Downs. He upped that margin Saturday with a time of 1:10.65. 

“He's just a very special horse,” said Scott Blasi, assistant to first-time Sanford-winning Asmussen. “He has a ton of class for a 2-year-old, very laid back and really good turn of foot. I definitely think he improved from his first race to this race.”

Obliteration broke very sharply from post 2 under Flavien Prat and showed the way through an opening quarter-mile in 22.74 seconds. He was tracked by local, listed Tremont runner-up Blinging It Back with a gap developing to Imagine John and Strategic Risk. 

José Ortiz-piloted Blinging It Back stuck outside Obliteration’s hip in the turn as the pair increasingly separated themselves from the rest of the field. Through the half-mile in 45.56 seconds, it was still just a half-length between the top two betting choices, but Obliteration was preparing to live up to his name once he straightened for home. 

“He was very efficient out of the gate and after that felt very in control,” Prat said. “Around the turn he waited a bit on horses, but as soon as I squeezed him, and he went back to his right lead, he went on.”

Obliteration surged in the stretch en route to his eye-catching victory over Blinging It Back. Imagine John finished another 3 1/4 lengths back in third, and Strategic Risk completed the superfecta. Fistfulofmoney and first time starter Honey Dutch completed the finish in that order. 

“As soon as he swapped leads and went to his right lead, it felt like he extended himself well and made a good run,” said Prat, who was aboard for the first time in the afternoon. He took over for Erik Asmussen, the trainer’s son who is the reigning Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockey.

Graded options at the Spa for juveniles include the 6 1/2-furlong Saratoga Special  (G2) on Aug. 2, and the seven-furlong Hopeful (G1) on Sept. 1.

Ortiz said Mark Casse-trained Blinging It Back got a good trip but was just second best. Casse also sent out Strategic Risk for fourth.

“It was very nice. (Obliteration) broke good, and I felt like it was a two-horse race, so I went after him,” Ortiz said. “I felt like I did what I had to do. He was better than me, and I was second best. I had a good trip, and he ran good.”

Bred in Kentucky by Ocala Stud, Obliteration was a $200,000 purchase at the March 2025 Ocala Breeders’ Sales auction of 2-year-olds in training. He is out of stakes-placed Master Command mare I’mclassyandsassy and is a half-brother to stakes winners Sassy Beast and Pure Class, Grade 3-placed Big and Classy and stakes-placed Family Biz.

Obliteration banked $96,250 in victory while returning $3.80 for a $2 win bet as the post-time favorite.