For connections of Annapolis September 3 is far from coming.
Eleven months earlier, War front colt, then 2 years old, won the Pilgrim Staking (G2T) program on October 3 at Belmont Park in his second start and established himself as a leading contender for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T).
Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, son of 1st grade mare My Miss Sophia has an exciting mix of speed, competitive nature and great bloodline to rank among the year’s most exciting underage athletes on all surfaces.
Then fate entered the disaster.
Ankle chips knocked Annapolis out of the Breeders’ Cup and brought his season to an abrupt halt.
The Bass Racing colt was sidelined until June 3, when he began his return in the bog at Penn National and came in second with a favorite 1-2 in Penn Mile Stakes (G2T).
A win in Manila Stakes later but then he had to finish second again as he finished 1 3/4 in length National pride at Caesars Saratoga Derby Invitation Shares (G1T).
Because of the two runners-up in the graded bets, it made for a much sweeter moment this past Saturday when Annapolis finally won the second-place bet by going down with the score. 5 1/2 is a favorite 1-9 ban in $186,000 Saranac Stakes for 3-year-olds at Racecourse Saratoga.
“There’s very little good that can happen at 1-9, but it’s a very, very special horse. It builds confidence when you run it,” said Steve Young, a family adviser. Bass family, said. “He’s a great horse and I couldn’t be happier for Ramona (Bass) and everyone in the family and everyone at Claiborne Ranch who raised him. He’s what everyone is. everyone gets up seven days a week. He’s a very special horse, and it couldn’t have happened to better people.”
Much of the expectation for Annapolis has to do with his dam, who was purchased by Young for $4 million, acting as an agent for Ramona and her son, Perry Bass, from Lane’s End consignment at Stock Sale. Breeding November 2018 in Keeneland. At the time, she was in a pony going to the War Front and bringing Annapolis with her.
2nd place winner My Miss Sophia who finished second in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) 2014, also gave birth to an avid brother to Annapolis in her most recent pony.
Young said Annapolis will likely be pointed to the October 8 Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) $1 million at Keenelandthis will be his first test against older opponents and an audition for another Breeders’ Cup bid — this is the test for the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile on 5 November due to PDFJF (G1T) presented.
