Think Big answered any questions about his distance limitations with a sparkling rail-skimming score in the $175,000 Kelso Stakes (G3T) July 5 at Saratoga Race Course.
The Godolphin homebred, a two-time graded stakes winner this year sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs, ran to the tune of a seasoned miler in the Kelso, stopping the clock in a time only four-fifths of a second off the Saratoga course record.
"He really finished well and did us proud," trainer Michael Stidham said of Think Big. "It was always on the back of our mind (to stretch him out); we had never done it on the grass, he had only done it on the dirt. (Godolphin USA director of bloodstock) Michael Banahan and I had spoken and we thought this was our chance to try it since the race went the wrong way last time."
The "last time" was a frustrating seventh-place effort in the June 8 Jaipur Stakes (G1T).
Despite exiting a series of turf sprints, Think Big found himself in midpack through the early stages of the Kelso. Racing just outside of race favorite Intellect, the Twirling Candy gelding bided his time behind Arzak's opening splits of :23.14 and :46.43.
The dynamic of the race changed suddenly heading into the far turn, where Poker Stakes (G3T) victor Donegal Momentum, who had been running in second throughout, took an awkward step and was sharply pulled out of contention.
"Watching it on TV, I didn't know what was going on there," Stidham said. "It looked like we were dropping back and really, I didn't think we were going to have much of a shot. Then all of a sudden, he did what he did going 5 1/2, which is rare for a horse to have the turn of foot at 5 1/2 and going a mile. That's what made it impressive to me."
Intellect, under Flavien Prat, inherited the lead from a tiring Arzak and forged to a 1 1/2-length advantage down the lane. Jose Ortiz and Think Big were far from finished, and after splitting horses in deep stretch, the gelding darted up the fence, collaring Intellect in a surprise attack on the inside.
Think Big ($15) prevailed by a length under the wire in a final time of 1:32.81.
Intellect was second by 1 1/4 lengths over Win for the Money in third.
Donegal Racing's Donegal Momentum was eased across the finish line and pulled up with the rest of the field.
"He went down on his nose, Javier (Castellano) said, 'I was a foot off the ground, he came up underneath me, and galloped through the wire fine, jogged back fine,'" Donegal Momentum's trainer Thomas Morley said. "Thank God he appears to be OK. We'll check him out top to toe obviously, but thank God he appears to be OK."
