WinStar Farm, First Go Racing and CHC Inc.’s Kentucky-bred American History surged toward the top of the 2-year-old male division with a victory in the 113th running of the Breeders’ Futurity (G1).
American History won the 1 1/16-mile event by a length over Coach Pope and Q B Rocket, who battled most of the way and finished a neck apart at the finish. An $825,000 buy at last year’s Keeneland September Yearling Sale, American History secured a spot in the starting gate for the Oct. 31 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland. The Breeders’ Futurity is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” race.
American History figures to be one of the main contenders for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile off his second straight victory. The son of Constitution entered the Breeders’ Futurity off a 7 ¾-length debut win on Aug. 22 at Saratoga.
“I was not expecting my horse to break as slow as he did,” said John Velazquez. “He broke slow, tipped in, tipped out. He took a little dirt going into the first turn and took it pretty well. After that he was in a good cruising speed. I was very happy the way he was doing it. I was hoping the two horses in front were going fast enough that my horse could catch up. My horse has one stride—kind of keeps coming, coming and coming, and that’s the way he did it. He’s still learning. He’s a big boy. We’re very happy things turned out the way they did.”
American History earned $397,963 for the win to boost his earnings to $461,213.