Kentucky-bred Classic Q showed her class in winning the $500,000 Just a Game Stakes (G1) during the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga on Saturday, June 6.
Campaigned by Gary Barber, Blue Crevalle Racing and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, the 4-year-old filly bested a field of seven others while never being threatened. She set fast fractions of 23.62 seconds, 47.17, 1:10.09 and 1:21.27 on the firm turf under Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez. She pulled away late in the stretch before crossing the wire in a sizzling 1:33.84.
Classic Q notched her second graded win after scoring in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2) on May 2. Despite her gate-to-wire triumph, the filly did give her connections, including dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, some anxious moments before the gate opened.
“This one was eventful, too. She [Classic Q] did her own flyover when the flyover came. When the planes came over, she went crazy. Then when she got out on the track, she wouldn’t move,” said Casse, who won the 2015 Just a Game with champion Turf Mare Tepin.
Profession Effort from Classic Q
But once the running started the daughter of Classic Empire, who was also a Grade 1 winner trained by Casse, was a pure professional.
“I knew when they went in 47 [seconds for the half-mile] that it was going to take somebody special to beat her. I kept telling [my wife] Tina, ‘Johnny’s waiting. Johnny’s waiting.’ You know her, she’s just extremely ornery. He said she was being so good and when they loaded the last horse, she started acting up. Then, when she breaks, you can’t rush her or she’ll run off. He gets along with her. He knows her well,” said her trainer. “She’s always been talented, really talented. She’s amazing. She had double ankle surgery before she ever made her first start, that’s why she was so late getting started. She’s just been unbelievable.”
When asked about a potential start in the $500,000 Diana Stakes (G1) at nine furlongs for older fillies and mares on July 18, at Saratoga for Classic Q, Casse said, “we’re going one race at a time.”
Classic Q was bred in Kentucky by Winning Bloodstock and she is out of the Scat Daddy mare Lovely Em. Her record now stands at 15 5-3-1 and her bankroll is $1,349,865.