Marshall E. Dowell’s SCRAPPY T (Fit to Fight) seized command on the far turn
of Saturday’s $150,000
Withers S. (G3) and determinedly held off Park Avenue
Ball (Citidancer) through the stretch to win by a length. Trained by Robert Bailes and ridden by Norberto Arroyo Jr., the dark bay closely tracked
pacesetter War Plan (Fusaichi Pegasus) through splits of :23 3/5 and :47 before
offering his challenge for the lead. The runner-up, who was also forwardly
placed in the early stages, offered a stiff rally into the stretch but could do
no better than second as the winner fought to the finish.
Scrappy T, who entered Saturday’s event off a third-place finish to Bellamy
Road (Concerto) in the Wood Memorial (G1), is now headed to the May 21 Preakness
S. (G1). The Kentucky-bred gelding completed a mile over Saturday’s good track
in 1:35 3/5.
“Everything went great,” Bailes said. “The only thing that worried me was
that when he makes the lead early, he gets to looking around. His saddle slipped
in the Wood Memorial, and that definitely cost him second. This is a nice colt
and I think he is still learning. He’s going to have to learn real quick, we’re
on our way to Maryland.”
Sent off at 7-1 in foggy conditions, Scrappy T paid $16.40, $7.30 and $4.60
for his first graded win. Park Avenue Ball finished 2 1/2 lengths clear of
third-placer War Plan at 13-1 and returned $11.40 and $6.90. War Plan, 12-1 in
his stakes bow, gave back $7.40. It was another 1 3/4 lengths back to the
late-running Naughty New Yorker (Quiet American), who was followed under the
wire by Survivalist (Danzig), 9-5 favorite B. B. Best (Yes It’s True) and 2-1
second choice Proud Accolade (Yes It’s True). Anthony J. (Tiger Ridge) was
scratched.
The exacta totaled $145 and the 8-1-7 trifecta was good for $1,346.
Bred by Upson Downs Farm in Kentucky, Scrappy T was purchased for $35,000 at last year’s
OBS April sale and has never finished out of the money, improving his career
mark to 9-3-4-2 with $279,120 in earnings following the Withers. He earned his
only previous stakes tally when taking the Count Fleet S. in mid-January and
also placed in the Whirlaway S. this year. Scrappy T is the fourth foal from the
winning Sunny’s Halo mare Perpetual Light, who produced a 2005 filly by Flatter.