Think Big will look to continue his ascent up the ladder as the nation's top turf sprinter when he goes for grade 1 glory in the $500,000 Jaipur Stakes (G1T) June 7 at Saratoga Race Course.
In recent years, the Jaipur has been a stomping ground for star speedsters such as Cogburn , who blazed to a North American record time of :59.80 for the 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf, fan favorite and two-time Jaipur victor Casa Creed , as well as the gutsy 2022 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) heroine Caravel, the second mare in the last five years to wear the Jaipur crown.
While the distance and location of the race has changed with ongoing renovations at Belmont Park, the Jaipur remains one of the prized jewels on the racing calendar for all those with aspirations of victory in November's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. One of three Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In races on Belmont Stakes (G1) weekend, the winner of the Jaipur earns an automatic berth into the starting gate for the $1 million Turf Sprint.
A 4-year-old son of dual-surface graded stakes winner Twirling Candy , Think Big made his first four starts on the dirt. Although he broke his maiden impressively on the main track, since switching to the grass, the gelding has risen from an average performer to multiple graded stakes winner for owner/breeder Godolphin and trainer Mike Stidham.
Jockey Ben Curtis, the gelding's rider Saturday, has been aboard for his last five starts.
"The turf was always in the back of our minds with him, but when they run well on the dirt, you are reluctant to switch surfaces," Stidham said. "When he showed us he didn't love certain dirt courses is when we decided to try him on the grass and we haven't looked back since. In the last race at Churchill Downs, I was resigned to finish second when we were at the eighth pole and had to make up so much ground, but he switched into gear and finished extremely well."
Stidham was referring to Think Big's last effort, a victory in the Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes (G2T) on Derby Day at Churchill Downs that earned him a career-best 113 Equibase Speed Figure. The Twin Spires was the gelding's third win and second graded stakes race in a row following a gallant score in the Shakertown Stakes (G2T) during the Keeneland spring meet.
Both of those wins were achieved over turf courses rated "good," the byproduct of an overwhelmingly wet and rainy Kentucky spring. A contender seeking sunnier skies and firmer ground in the Jaipur will be the Richard Baltas-trained Ag Bullet.
The sole mare in the field of 10, Ag Bullet exits a disappointing seventh-place finish in the Unbridled Sidney Stakes (G3T) May 2.
"She came back in good order and obviously didn't get the trip we wanted," Baltas said. "She has been at Keeneland and worked very well since the race ... so we just thought we should take a shot here. She ran pretty good against the boys in the Breeders' Cup, finishing third only beaten a neck. Flavien (Prat) was the champion jockey last year and the owners wanted to give him a shot on the horse, so we're going up to Saratoga to give it a whirl."
Campaigned by Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran, Ag Bullet, a five-time stakes winner, was beaten only a neck in last fall's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in her last outing against males. Prat will take over the mount on the daughter of Twirling Candy from regular rider Umberto Rispoli.
Last-out Elusive Quality Stakes winner My Boy Prince, a respected player on the Woodbine circuit, goes for more United States black type in the Jaipur for trainer Mark Casse. The Cairo Prince gelding cuts back in trip slightly after his score over six furlongs on the Aqueduct Racetrack turf, where he defeated the reopposing Bold Journey, who was returning to turf for first time since 2023 for Bill Mott, and Alogon, winner of last year's Parx Dash Stakes and Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship Stakes for Edward Allard.
Saratoga Race Course, Saturday, June 7, 2025, Race 9Entries: Jaipur S. (G1T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Extendo (FL) Javier Castellano 120 Joseph F. Orseno 20/1 2 2Think Big (KY) Ben Curtis 126 Michael Stidham 6/5 3 3Our Shot (PA) Luis Saez 124 John P. Terranova II 8/1 4 4My Boy Prince (ON) Jose Lezcano 120 Mark E. Casse 10/1 5 5Arzak (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 124 Michael J. Trombetta 8/1 6 6Vinsanity (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 120 Antonio Arriaga 50/1 7 7Bold Journey (NY) Eric Cancel 120 William I. Mott 20/1 8 8Alogon (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 120 Edward T. Allard 10/1 9 9Ag Bullet (KY) Flavien Prat 121 Richard Baltas 7/2 10 10Coppola (KY) Umberto Rispoli 120 Dale L. Romans 12/1
