Chelsea Durand Photo

Move to Gold graduates in style in $135K Awad

by Mary Eddy

Klaravich Stables’ Move to Gold broke his maiden in rallying fashion when posting a 1 1/4-length score in Saturday’s $135,000 Awad, a 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for juveniles, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown and piloted by Manny Franco, Move to Gold improved from his debut on August 31 at Kentucky Downs when finishing a late-running second with a wide trip from post 11 in a one-mile maiden special weight.

“What an opposite trip for this horse from his race at Kentucky Downs,” Brown said of his inside trip in the Awad. “That’s not to say it was the jockey’s fault that day, he had a tough post on a unique course. He just found himself outside. I thought Manny used good judgement to tuck behind what we thought was a live horse in the race and he just kind of followed him until it was time to go.”

The son of Twirling Candy emerged from post 3 in the six-horse field and brushed with Tropandhagen to his inside before the latter skipped to the front and drew off to a substantial lead through an opening quarter-mile in 22.83 seconds and the half-mile in 46.56 over the firm footing.

Post-time favorite Spirit Prince raced in second seven lengths behind the pace with Dancing Mischief and Innate vying for third position as Move to Gold kept watch from fifth down the backstretch and into the turn. Franco roused his mount for more midway through the turn and angled him to the outside of Innate as Tropandhagen began to tire with three-quarters elapsed in 1:11.15.

Spirit Prince inched closer with every stride at the top of the stretch before taking command at the eighth pole and attempting to draw clear from the oncoming Move to Gold. Franco continued a strong hand ride along the outside of Spirit Prince and had enough horse late to collar his foe in the shadow of the wire and stop the clock in 1:43.04.

Spirit Prince held place three lengths ahead of the late-running Blue Creek with Innate, Dancing Mischief and Tropandhagen completing the order of finish. Twilight Point and British Sea were scratched.

Brown, who earned his second stakes win of the weekend at Belmont at the Big A after taking Friday’s Athenia with Technical Analysis, emphasized the importance of Move to Gold angling off the rail late.

“You can see he was still a little green changing leads, but once he got out on the right side of the horses, he really motored by that horse by the wire the right way,” said Brown. “I was really proud of him. I think he’s a horse with a bright future and that will run even a little bit further. He’s an exciting one for next year.

“I think next year we can get him out going a little bit further,” Brown added. “He’ll fill out a little bit, he’s still an immature looking horse. He has two nice races to get his career started so now is a good time to let him catch his breath."

Franco, who won the 1,998th race of his career, said he did not panic when Tropandhagen ran away with the lead.

“I was a little concerned because they were opening up, but I just took my time,” said Franco. “I rode my horse with confidence. Chad told me to give him a chance and try to come running at the end and that's what I did - the horse responded really well.

“When I get in between horses at the three-eighths pole, I knew I had a chance,” Franco continued. “I was a little worried with the two horses in front of me and I was looking where am I going to go, what am I going to do. I stayed there in between those two horses and then I went through. Going to the quarter-pole, I knew I had a lot of chance to go by them now and that's what I did.”

Bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall and Mr. and Mrs. Carrie and Craig Brogden, Move to Gold was a $260,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland November Yearling Sale and is out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Brandy, a half-sister to Grade 1-placed Rally Cry. He banked $74,250 in victory and returned $6.20 on a $2 win wager.

Dylan Davis, aboard the Christophe Clement-trained Spirit Prince, said the dual graded stakes-placed son of Cairo Prince gave a valiant effort.

“He put in a great effort. I just wanted to break well and that horse [Tropandhagen] spread the field out,” Davis said. “I switched my horse off and Christophe said he's a little bit one-paced to try and get him going. When I got to the three-eighths, I started working him in the bridle a little bit and once he straightened up, he finished strong.”

Live racing resumes Sunday for a special 10-race card on Closing Day Sunday at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet to celebrate the best of New York for the annual Empire Showcase Day, featuring eight stakes races worth $1.6 million, led by the $250,000 Empire Classic and $250,000 Empire Distaff. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.  

America's Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of every day of Belmont at the Big A on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Belmont at the Big A, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.