After three scratches, only four contenders dared to show up against 1-5 favorite Sharp Aza Tack in the Sept. 8 $495,000 Global Tote Juvenile Sprint Stakes. The Doug O'Neill trainee had been untouchable in his first two starts and was exiting off a resounding 7 1/4-length romp in Monmouth Park's Tyro Stakes.
But, as shown time and time again, the old horsemen's adage of "You have to be in it to win it" rang true on a cloudless Thursday afternoon at Kentucky Downs as Mike McCarty's Private Creed bested the favorite in a dogfight to the wire.
#5 Private Creed gets blinkers and refuses to lose the Juvenile Sprint Stakes from @KYDownsRacing with Joel Rosario up for Steve Asmussen to pay $7.58.
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) September 8, 2022
The #TwinSpiresReplay ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/9aLLKImW8P
Private Creed, although keen to run with the top two after the gates opened, was taken back under Joel Rosario and allowed Sharp Aza Tack and longshot Revere Note to press each other through an opening quarter in :22.13 and half-mile in :46.54 down the hill. As the field turned for the uphill charge to the wire, Sharp Aza Tack surged ahead while Rosario angled Private Creed in sharply to the inside. Locking heads down the lane, the two colts fought stride for stride until Private Creed surged clear of his rival in the final seventy yards.
Stopping the clock in 1:18.19 for the 6 1/2 furlongs on a firm turf course, Private Creed finished three-quarters of a length in front of Sharp Aza Tack with Accident coming on late to secure the show spot.
"The one horse (Sharp Aza Tack) had so much speed," Rosario said. "My horse was comfortable; he was happy where he was. He settled nicely going into the turn. For a second, I didn’t know, as it took him a little time to get going. He just found another gear. He broke good and I was right there. Just a good trip."
Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Private Creed paid $7.58 for a $2 win ticket.
Bourbon Spirit, Fadethenoise, and Half a Chance were scratched.
A $155,000 purchase from McCarty at this year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale from the Mason Springs consignment, Private Creed improved his record to 2-0-1 in three career outings. The son of Jimmy Creed captured his debut July 30 at Ellis Park before running a respectable third in the Aug. 19 Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
"This (race) was our target. This was extremely important to us, and we're very proud of this," Asmussen said.
Asmussen believes a mile could be in Private Creed's scope come Breeders' Cup weekend and he didn't rule out the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) as a possible option for the colt.
"Originally he was 5 1/2 (furlongs) on the turf. But as we saw today he's better at 6 1/2 (furlongs). In every one of his races he's settled a little bit better, and he had a very good finish today. So taking him a mile is a possibility."
Bred in Kentucky by Sierra Farm, Private Creed was sold by his breeder as a yearling to Mason Springs at the 2021 Keeneland September Sale. He is the first foal out of the stakes-winning Sky Mesa mare South Andros, who is also the dam of a yearling colt by Vino Rosso and delivered a Complexity colt this past breeding season.
