Coil captures stakes debut in Affirmed

Coil was an impressive winner while making his stakes and two-turn debut in the Affirmed and the well-bred colt owns a mouth-watering pedigree for longer distances (Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos) Pegram, Watson and Weitman’s COIL (Point Given) continued his winning ways while making his stakes debut in Saturday’s $100,000 Affirmed H. (G3) at Hollywood Park, driving to a comfortable one-length decision in the 1 1/16-mile test for three-year-olds. Martin Garcia had the mount on the Bob Baffert-trained colt, who upped his overall mark to 4-3-0-1, $118,560, when stopping the teletimer in 1:42 4/5 on the Cushion Track. Uncoupled stablemate Awesome Patriot (Awesome Again) showed the way from the start, establishing an opening split in :24 on a short lead, with Runflatout (Flatter) and Coil chasing him in second and third, respectively. Coil launched an early bid on the backstretch to draw even with the pacesetter after a half-mile in :48, and the Florida-bred chestnut began to extend his lead after three-quarters in 1:11 3/5, opening a two-length advantage in midstretch. The 4-5 favorite returned $3.80, $2.80 and $2.40.

Runflatout, who tried to make a run at the leader in the stretch but was
never a serious threat, easily took second by four lengths. Spud Spivens (Tizbud)
was in turn 2 1/4 lengths clear in third and followed under the wire by Akkadian
(Tiznow), Awesome Patriot and Northern Indy (A.P. Indy).

Third when making his career bow last October, Coil rounded out his juvenile
season with a 3 1/4-length allowance score at six furlongs in mid-November. He
didn’t return to the races until May 6, winning a six-furlong allowance/optional
claiming event by 1 1/4 lengths, and tried two turns for the first time in the
Affirmed.

Bred by Glen Hill Farm, Coil is the second foal out of the winning Theatrical
(Ire) mare Eversmile, who is also the dam of the unraced juvenile filly Level
Headed (Eddington) and a yearling filly by Arch. The 10-year-old mare is a
half-sister to 1995 champion turf mare Possibly Perfect (Northern Baby), a
six-time Grade 1 winner; and Group 3 hero Makhlab (Dixieland Band). Coil’s third
maternal dam is Grade 2 winner Sandy Blue (Windy Sands), and this is the female
family of Grade 1 victor and sire Eddington (Unbridled).