Godolphin and trainer Michael Stidham were thinking big following a pair of allowance turf victories by homebred Think Big, and they were rewarded with a graded stakes victory in the $376,563 Shakertown Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland April 8.
"We had a couple of options. He was the horse who could have improved more than the rest of them," said Godolphin USA director of bloodstock Michael Banahan. "They're all sprinters that have run 20, 30 times. He's only run a couple of times, he's sprinted three times. We sort of thought he had a lot of improvement in him."
After an unsuccessful attempt at 1 1/8 miles at Keeneland last fall, Stidham swapped surfaces and cut back to 5 1/2 furlongs, a move that has caused the 4-year-old gelding to flourish. He entered Saturday 2-for-2 on the turf, both at his preferred distance and with jockey Ben Curtis in the saddle at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
"He was impressive down there and we said if he steps again, it's worth taking the chance in a race like this," Banahan said. "It was a perfect distance for him."
Breaking from the far outside in the field of 10, Curtis found a perfect stalking position about three lengths off Coppola through fractions of :22.24 and :45.48. Coppola proved brave on the lead, but pace-pressing Rogue Lightning was taking his measure in the final furlong. Meanwhile, Think Big was also getting into high gear and closing on Rogue Lightning, catching him in the final yards for a half-length triumph. Eamonn closed from last to finish third.
"I've known him for a while and I've breezed him a lot," said Curtis. "We shortened him up and put him on the turf, and he seemed to grow a fifth leg; he really improved with that. Every run he's had, he's improved, and he's done it in a different style. He came from last and rounded the field last time (to win an allowance at Fair Grounds Feb. 7), and today he sat off near the pace and ground it out to the line. So he's versatile ground-wise, also surface-wise, so he's just a dream horse to have, really."
The final time of 1:04.21 was Think Big's best in three starts at the distance and he paid $22.14.
Think Big became the second graded stakes winner this season for 2024 leading turf sire Twirling Candy , who stands at Lane's End for a $60,000 fee in 2025. He is out of the stakes-winning Street Sense mare Always Thinking.
"He stays really well," Banahan said. "He's fast, he stays well. Great combination for these short sprints on the turf."
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