**Please see attached photo of More Than Real. Credit NYRA,
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Contact: Jon Forbes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Chad Brown sent out eventual multiple stakes winner Maram to a debut victory going long on the turf at Saratoga two years ago, and the trainer has good reason to think big things are also in store for More Than Real following a first-out victory on Saturday at the Spa.
Maram, who defeated $75,000 maiden claimers in her first start, has captured five stakes events to date, including the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. More Than Real, in comparison, is ahead of her stablemate at this stage, having scored by 1 ¼ lengths in a maiden special weight. She joins the New York Watch, which profiles up-and-comers that have recently cleared the maiden ranks at Aqueduct,
The 7-2 second choice in the field of nine, More Than Real saved ground through the first six furlongs of Saturday’s race, settling in a pocket in third. Angled outside and given her cue at the top of the stretch, the debutante seized the lead and easily accounted for Dynamic Holiday late as that rival gave vain chase in second.
“She won first time out, going two turns – that’s always a positive sign,” said winning jockey Garrett Gomez. “I was able to work her the other morning and she seemed like real sensible filly, and she ran like one.”
Brown wasn’t surprised by the professional performance.
“She had been training super; I thought her last breeze on the turf was exceptional for a 2-year-old,” said Brown. “I told Garrett, ‘You have a good post. I want her covered up the whole way until you turn for home.’ He did exactly what I told him to do. I’ve been around those kind of fillies that run well behind cover. She isn’t a big, robust filly – she’s small and handy, the kind that handle being covered up.”
Brown believes More Than Real’s future is on the turf and is considering the Grade 3 Miss Grillo at
“She was much better in her works on the grass, and she just trains like a grass horse,” said Brown. “Even over the dirt you can tell.”
More Than Real is the second winner out of Miss Seffens – who during her racing days won five listed stakes, all in sprints on the dirt – and is by More Than Ready, who has been represented by North American graded stakes winner Ready’s Gal, Ready to Please, Ready’s Image, Custom for Carlos, and Mary’s Follies. More Than Ready’s impact has been even larger in the Southern Hemisphere as he has sired turf stars Sebring and Phelan Ready, who were both named Champion Two-Year-Old Colt in Australia after winning the Group 1 Golden Slipper, the country’s premier race for juveniles.
Many of the industry’s brightest stars embarked upon their careers at the NYRA tracks, including a number of recent Triple Crown race winners. Super Saver, Big Brown, Jazil, Birdstone, Funny Cide, and Empire Maker are all among the
The list also includes recent champions Gio Ponti and Indian Blessing; brilliant fillies Flashing, Little Belle, Music Note, and Devil May Care; and Quality Road, who has won three Grade 1 races so far in his career, including this year’s Metropolitan Handicap.
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