A little less than a year ago, Phileas Fogg raced for a $62,500 claiming price at Saratoga Race Course and lost, finishing ninth in an allowance optional claimer on the turf. But a change in barns via a claim and a return to dirt racing has led to a change in fortunes.
On July 4, he improved to 5-2-0 in seven starts for trainer Gustavo Rodriguez and owner Jupiter Stable with a wire-to-wire upset victory over graded stakes winners Antiquarian and Locked in the $400,000 Suburban Stakes (G2) at Saratoga.
Hustled to dictate terms from his inside post under Kendrick Carmouche, Phileas Fogg set comfortable initial fractions of :23.72 and :47.83 in the 1 1/4-mile race. Carmouche allowed Phileas Fogg to open up after six furlongs in 1:11.48, and after spurting several lengths clear on the second turn with a mile in 1:36.02, Phileas Fogg had just enough to hold on by a head over the pace-pressing Antiquarian.
"I thought only one thing to do out of the one hole: play a little cat and mouse going around, and I held off in the final sixteenth," Carmouche said.
Favored Locked, a dual grade 1 winner, was hard ridden by Jose Ortiz to keep within striking distance while stalking the leaders, and Locked stayed one-paced while running a nonthreatening third. The Suburban was the second consecutive uninspired effort from the 4-year-old Gun Runner colt including a fourth in the May 2 Alysheba Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs.
Though Phileas Fogg entered Friday's race in top form, he was just the fourth betting choice in the Suburban. His prior stakes wins had come decisively, but against ungraded competition at Aqueduct Racetrack, and he had been runner-up to Awesome Aaron in the May 16 Pimlico Special Stakes (G3) in his last start, caught late going 1 3/16 miles.
But Awesome Aaron never got close to Phileas Fogg in the Suburban, running sixth of seven, and only Antiquarian, last year's Peter Pan Stakes (G3) winner, threatened. Three lengths back in midstretch, Antiquarian was flying at Phileas Fogg in the closing yards but fell a stride short of victory under John Velazquez.
The winner, a 5-year-old Astern gelding, was clocked in 2:02.97 over a fast main track. He paid $14.40 for a $2 win wager.
Bred by Godolphin out of the More Than Ready mare Merino and a debut winner for Godolphin as owner, Phileas Fogg has been victorious for all who have raced him. After Godolphin sold him for $55,000 in 2023 at the Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale, he won three races for trainer Jimmy Toner and owner AJ Suited Racing Stable before his achievements for Rodriguez and Jupiter Stable. His victory marked the first graded stakes win for his trainer.
"We are very blessed to have this horse. Very lucky, very blessed. He is a nice horse," Rodriguez said. "This is unbelievable. A beautiful feeling to win these kinds of races."
Astern, now at stud in Turkey, initially stood for Darley, Godolphin's stallion operation, at Kelvinside Farm in New South Wales, Australia, and Jonabell Farm near Lexington.
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