Think Big Faces Mile Specialists in High-Quality Kelso

Godolphin's Think Big stretches his speed beyond 5 1/2 furlongs for the first time in nine months when he faces a high-quality field of older horses in the $175,000 Kelso Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course. The task will be tall as Think Big tackles a stout group of mile specialists that includes five graded stakes winners, with 2024 Woodbine Mile Stakes (G1T) hero Win for the Money and last-out Poker Stakes (G3T) victor Donegal Momentum among them. Trained by Michael Stidham, Think Big has taken his talents to a new level while sprinting on the turf this season. The 4-year-old son of Twirling Candy had rattled off three consecutive victories, twice against graded company, ahead of a disappointing seventh in the June 8 Jaipur Stakes (G1T) on Belmont Stakes weekend. A winner going seven furlongs on the dirt as a 3-year-old, the Kelso will be a test to see if the gelding can prove just as effective over the mile trip on the grass as he is sprinting. A win Saturday could certainly open up many different options for the gelding with the Breeders' Cup World Championships looming on the horizon. "We've always thought that at least a mile was within his range and right now looked like a decent spot to try the mile," Stidham said. "We have some sprint races coming up and this was an opportunity to see if that window opens up for him to go further than 5 1/2 to six furlongs. We'll take a shot and see what happens." With regular rider Ben Curtis riding in Iowa, Jose Ortiz gets the call on Think Big. Donegal Racing's Donegal Momentum figures to be a chief contender in the Kelso. The Tom Morley-trained son of Uncle Mo enters off a decisive front-running score at the same course and distance in the June 5 Poker Stakes over the reopposing Intellect (FR). According to Saturday's Saratoga Springs, N.Y., forecast, there is only a slight 10% chance of rain, which bodes well for the firm turf-loving Donegal Momentum. "He’s overcome soft ground a few times before, but when he got a flat mile around a track that he’s obviously very comfortable on, on genuine firm ground, he showed how good he can be. I think he continues to improve from it," Morley said. The Mark Casse-trained Win for the Money, winless since his Woodbine Mile triumph last September, has been benched since a seventh-place finish in January's Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T). Casse is confident the 6-year-old can bounce back to his old self in the Kelso. "I feel like Win for the Money is better than he's ever been," Casse said. "We gave him a break after his last start and sent him home to Live Oak for a while. When we got him back, I was just amazed how good he was. I think the time off really helped him and if you looked at that breeze (five furlongs in a bullet :58.85 June 23 at Saratoga) you would certainly think so, it was impressive." Since August 2023, the Mohaymen gelding has posted nine triple-digit Equibse Speed Figures.