Disarm vindicated trainer Steve Asmussen’s decision to bypass the May 20 Preakness Stakes (G1) with a gritty score in the $400,000 Matt Winn Stakes (G3) June 11 at Ellis Park.
Following a grueling first half of the season where the Gun Runner colt ran four races within an 11-week time period, including a gallant fourth-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1), his Hall of Fame trainer decided to give Disarm a bit of a breather and target the 1 1/8 Matt Winn. While regrouping from his Derby effort at Asmussen’s Churchill Downs home base, the Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred clocked four workouts ahead of Sunday’s race and appeared primed for a big effort off his well-deserved hiatus.
#2 Disarm takes the $400k Matt Winn S. at Ellis Park under @JRosarioJockey for trainer Steve Asmussen and owner Winchell Thoroughbreds! 🏆
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) June 11, 2023
Disarm finished 4th in this year's #KentuckyDerby!
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/4WFyVfARTJ
The heavens opened Sunday over the Henderson, Ky., track, and the field of seven sophomores would slug it out over a sloppy, sealed Ellis Park oval. Besides Disarm, three other contenders—Verifying , Raise Cain, and King Russell—were all seeking a slice of redemption after disappointing finishes in the Kentucky Derby.
When the gates opened it wasn’t the Brad Cox-trained Verifying on the lead, as he was when sizzling to near-record early fractions in the run for the roses, but recent impressive Churchill allowance victor Bo Cruz. Firmly held back in second by jockey Tyler Gaffalione, Verifying stalked the pacesetter in second, with Disarm a close-up third along the rail as the trio whisked through an opening quarter in :24.46 and half-mile in :48.73. Verifying pounced on Bo Cruz first, wrangling the lead and attempting to draw away as jockey Joel Rosario cued Disarm into full flight.
Disarm rallied powerfully down the swampy lane, driving by Verifying to secure the half-length win. He finished the nine furlongs in a final time of 1:49.59.
Verifying, improving on his 16th-place finish in the Derby, was 4 3/4 lengths ahead of Bo Cruz in third.
“It was a little wet today which is always concerning to see how horses would like it,” Rosario said after the race. “(Disarm) seemed to like it and got over the track well. It was a very good performance. Steve (Asmussen) told me to get him into position after we broke from the gate and just let him handle things on his own. At the three-eighths pole I had to start to ride him a little bit to keep position but he responded very nicely after that and continued to do so down the lane.”
Disarm ($4.24) collected his second career win and bumped his bankroll to $720,700.
Video: Matt Winn S. (G3)
Unifying Splashes Home in Leslie's Overnight Stakes
Back in November, Unifying gave Riley Mott his first-ever win as a trainer, and now seven months later the daughter of Union Rags has provided the conditioner with his first career stakes victory. One race prior to the Matt Winn, Unifying splashed home by three lengths in the $173,050 Leslie's Overnight Stakes under jockey Cristian Torres.
After her maiden-breaking score in November, Unifying was second to Defining Purpose in Oaklawn Park's Year's End Stakes before dropping to allowance company for her next four outings. The 3-year-old found her way back to the winner's circle in her last start in Hot Springs, sprinting to an impressive allowance optional claiming win May 5.
Never far back from frontrunner B G Warrior early, Unifying engaged that foe at the quarter pole and streaked clear, widening her advantage to the wire. Racing for the silks of Sheri Greenberg, Staghawk Stables, Tom Reiman, and Ronald Johnson, Unifying ($11.90) was timed in 1:23.64 for the seven furlongs over a track listed as sloppy and sealed.
Favored Topsy closed for second with B G Warrior in third.
