A thunderstorm rolling through Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday night forced
Churchill Downs officials to declare a weather delay prior to the Grade 3,
$111,400
Bashford Manor, but the belated start didn’t stop Debt Ceiling from romping
in the sloppy, sealed main track contest under jockey Eric Camacho.
The Discreet Cat juvenile was fastest from the gate in the six-furlong event,
but was quickly passed by both My Corinthian and Hollywood Talent, who set a
suicidal opening quarter in :20 4/5. The duo had drastically slowed down though
by the time Debt Ceiling caught back up and posted the half-mile split in :44
2/5.
From there the John Robb trainee was striding out under his own power in the
lane, as much as six lengths in front, before being geared down by Camacho to be
2 3/4 lengths clear of Hollywood Talent on the wire.
Sent off the 5-1 third pick in the seven-juvenile field, Debt Ceiling paid
$12.40, $5.40 and $4.20 for stopping the clock in 1:10 3/5. Hollywood Talent had
2 1/2 lengths to spare on My Corinthian, while Runkle, 6-5 favorite D’cajun Cat,
Gun Roar and Sandbar completed the order of finish.
Debt Ceiling is now undefeated in three starts, having broken his maiden
debut by 4 1/2 lengths at Laurel Park on March 30. The dark bay colt returned
May 18 on the Preakness Stakes undercard at Pimlico to post a 2 1/2-length
victory in the Rollicking Stakes, and doubled his earnings on Saturday to
$134,347.
Bred in Kentucky by Brandywine Farm, the Tim E. O’Donohue colorbearer sold
twice, bringing just $8,500 as a Keeneland November weanling before coming to
his current owner as a $27,000 Keeneland September yearling.
Debt Ceiling is the first stakes winner out of the stakes-scoring Marquetry
mare Top Marks, making him a half-brother to multiple stakes-placed Dean’s List.
His female family has also produced Grade 1 victor West Coast Scout and Grade 2
hero Mountain Cat.
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