Stony Oak Farm LLC’s ELUSIVE JAZZ (Elusive Quality) earned his first stakes
victory on Saturday when taking the $266,500
Phoenix Breeders’ Cup S. (G3) at Keeneland. Trained by Bobby Barnett, the
four-year-old settled just outside of the pace in the early running,
before making his move under Robby Albarado rounding the far turn. Coming in and
slightly bumping Premium Saltine (Salt Lake) approaching the stretch, Elusive Jazz
straightened for the drive and easily pulled off to be three lengths clear at
the wire in a final time of 1:11 3/5 for six furlongs on the fast track.
Sent off the 7-1 fifth choice, Elusive Jazz paid $17, $8.20 and $5 while on
top of the $265.80 exacta and $2,581.60 trifecta. Wild Tale (Tale of the Cat)
closed ground late to be best of the rest, 1 1/4 lengths up on Premium Saltine to return $19.20 and
$9 as the 21-1 longshot, while the latter gave back $4.20 at 9-2. Level
Playingfield (Level Sands) rounded out the $5,881 superfecta (4-1-9-5) and was
followed by Fifteen Rounds (Fit to Fight), Korbyn Gold (Gold Case), 2-1 favorite Bwana
Charlie (Indian Charlie) and Danieltown (Pioneering). Sgt. Bert (Confide)
was withdrawn.
Elusive Jazz recorded his first black-type credit when second in the
Arlington Breeders’ Cup Sprint H. in late August and finished a close fourth in
the Marfa S. prior to this one. From a 14-4-4-1 career mark, he’s now earned
$306,931.
Bred in Kentucky by Richard J. Forbush & Richard Lueck, the chestnut is the
first registered foal out of the winning Time for Jazz (Kentucky Jazz), who is
also the dam of an unnamed yearling Broken Vow filly and an unnamed weanling
colt by Ecton Park. Elusive Jazz brought $90,000 as a Keeneland September
yearling before RNA’ing at $185,000 as a Barretts March two-year-old.