Final Score, a speedy son of Not This Time , added to his sire's hot streak when he took the $400,000 Bourbon Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland Oct. 5 by 1 1/4 lengths, earning an automatic fees-paid berth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T) Oct. 31 at Del Mar.
Sent off as the favorite, the colt broke sharply and stayed on or near the lead throughout the 1 1/16-mile race.
"He (Final Score) showed speed before, but not this kind of speed," winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. said. "I thought it was a little more speed than he would have in the race. I thought we were going to be right behind the speed, but he broke so good and put me in a good position without asking too much. I had talked to the trainer (Todd Pletcher) and he said, 'If he's on the lead, fine; let him go.'"
Final Score took the field through the opening quarter mile in :22.51 before briefly being headed by Casa Cielo as they reached the half in :47.69 with Turf Star and Dr. Agne adding to the pressure. Final Score ultimately drew clear in mid-stretch and held off Turf Star, who finished second, with Gordon Pass another 1 1/4 lengths back in third. Final Score hit the wire in a final time of 1:42.51 over a firm turf course.
"He went a little faster than I wanted, but he got the job done," Ortiz said. "He deserves a lot of credit. He was a little aggressive going into the first turn, but on the backside, he switched off really nice. After that, I just bided my time turning for home. Then, when we were in the straight, I asked him to go, and he gave me a good turn of foot."
Final Score paid $4.82 to win.
"Everything went to plan," said Tyler Gaffalione, rider of runner-up Turf Star. "I just had to sit in there a little bit longer than I'd like to. Irad was riding really patient. He gave me a really good run down the lane, then as soon as we got out, he found another stride and really extended himself well. I thought it was a great effort."
Trained by Todd Pletcher for Repole Stable, Final Score was coming off a 4 1/2 length victory in the With Anticipation Stakes (G3T) Aug. 28 at Saratoga Race Course.
The colt was bred in Kentucky by BG Stables and picked up by Repole Stable at last year's The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale for $600,000.
Video: Castle & Key Bourbon S. (G2T)
Schwarzenegger Holds on to Win Indian Summer Stakes
Not This Time, who stood the 2025 season for a $175,000 fee at Taylor Made Stallions, had a spectacular opening weekend at Keeneland with a 1-2-3 finish in the Oct. 3 Jessamine Stakes (G2T) and three of his colts winning stakes, including Schwarzenegger in the Indian Summer Stakes. The Wesley Ward trainee broke his maiden in style, winning the 5 1/2-furlong race by a half-length.
The bay colt showed the way throughout the race, opening with a brisk quarter mile in :21.17. He led his rivals through splits of :44.05, :55.88, and finished the race in a final time of 1:02.28, keeping his rivals at bay to the wire.
Schwarzenegger finished second in his career debut, a maiden special weight at Saratoga Aug. 29, where he lost by a neck to Attfield.
"We know he's super fast," jockey John Velazquez said of Schwarzenegger. "Even out of the gate, he's so fast out of there, I had to let him jump for three or four jumps before I tried to get a hold of him. He came out running, and all I tried to do was to save him for the end. I don't think the grass was a favorite today, so I got a good hold of him all the way to past the three-eighths pole to try to save it for the end and lead them all the way around. Wesley had him ready to go from a maiden (special weight) to running against winners in a stakes race—that's a big tip for him."
Sanford Stakes (G3) winner Obliteration was second with Rogue Legend third. Schwarzenegger paid $6.64 to win.
"We're heading to the Breeders' Cup (Juvenile Turf Sprint)," Ward said. "He's a sprinter, and that's a very fast track out there at Del Mar. It'll be firm; we won't have any weather issues, and it won't be 5 1/2 (furlongs) like it was today. Johnny said there was a lot of moisture in the track today; they watered it pretty good. So when we get to Del Mar, it should be great for him, and it's also five (furlongs) instead of 5 1/2. So everything's heading our direction now."
Schwarzenegger was bred in Kentucky by Frankfort Park Farm and is the second foal of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Soothsaying. Kerri Radcliffe, agent, picked up the colt for $950,000 at The Saratoga Sale last summer.
