Chelsea Durand Photo

Bigger Picture notches first graded stakes win in G3 Red Smith

by Brian Bohl

Three Diamond Farm's Bigger Picture overtook I'll Call out of the turn and held on to capture his first career graded stakes win in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Red Smith for 3-year-olds and up on the firm turf at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

Trained by Mike Maker, Bigger Picture was one of only two entries in the 11-horse field with a win on the Aqueduct turf. The 5-year-old chestnut gelding looked comfortable early, staying off I'll Call's early fractions of 25.14 seconds for a quarter-mile, 49.80 for a half and 1:15.18 for three-quarters.

In the stretch, jockey Jose Ortiz positioned Bigger Picture to take the lead from the outside, going three-wide before outkicking Danish Dynaformer and 4-5 favorite Wake Forest in the final furlong for a 1 ¼-length score, completing 1 3/8 miles in 2:15.46.

"I felt if I made a move I could get a good position on the turn," said Ortiz, who notched his third consecutive win on the day. "I just felt like doing it and it worked out perfectly. They went slow but I could've stayed back because my horse was very relaxed. I made him go a little bit and got great position on the turn. 

"I knew Johnny [Velasquez, aboard Danish Dynaformer] was coming from the outside, but we entered the stretch and I let him go and he responded, he added. "He's a very game horse, when he felt him coming [forward] he flicked his ears and tried to kick on."

Bigger Picture, who posted a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Sycamore on October 20 at Keeneland, departed post 9 at 9-1. Carrying 117 pounds, the son of Badge of Silver paid $21.40 on a $2 win wager and has finished in the money in six of his last eight starts.

The win brought Bigger Picture's career earnings to $444,735 and is now 8-4-1 in 20 career starts. 

Danish Dynaformer, trained by Roger Attfield, was the runner-up in finishing on the board for the first time in four starts.

Wake Forest, who had won a Grade 1 at the Red Smith distance in the Man o' War on May 14 at Belmont Park, came in third for trainer Chad Brown.

Arties Silver Mine, Up With the Birds, Messi, I'll Call, Tale of Fancy, Biz The Nurse, Smooth Daddy and Rum Tum Tugger completed the order of finish. Tommy Macho, a main-track only entry, was scratched.  

The 57th running of the Red Smith was named in honor of the 1976 Pulitzer Prize winner for distinguished commentary. Smith, a sports columnist, covered many events, including horseracing, in a 55-year career, writing for publications such as the New York Herald Tribune and the New York Times.