King Cyrus conquers Saratoga maiden by 11 lengths

Last updated: 8/5/13 5:00 PM

King Cyrus is bred to thrive over a route of ground
(NYRA Photo via Twitter)

WinStar Farm’s King Cyrus has an ambitious name to live up to, but the Todd
Pletcher juvenile made a sensational start to his career with an 11-length romp
in Saratoga’s
3RD
race on Monday.

By Bellamy Road, and out of the Empire Maker mare Queen of Empire, King
Cyrus’ name calls to mind the great Persian empire-builder of the sixth century
B.C. The $70,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase is bred to thrive over a
route of ground, but showed effortless cruising speed in this seven-furlong
premiere.

“We felt like he had been training well,” Pletcher said. “We originally put
him in a six-furlong race on Saturday; we thought seven furlongs might be better
for him.

“He’s an obvious two-turn kind of horse — bred that way, looks that way,
trains that way. We were happy with the way he came into the race, but didn’t
really expect him to blow them away like that.”

Sent off as the 2-1 second choice with Javier Castellano, King Cyrus broke on
top with his natural quickness, then displayed professionalism to concede the
early lead and tracked kindly in third. Kingofgoldstreet moved through along the
inside to take up the running, pressed by 8-5 favorite Tightly Bridled through
an opening quarter in :23 1/5 on the fast track.

As Tightly Bridled put his head in front at the half-mile mark in :46 3/5,
King Cyrus was easily advancing to make it three abreast turning for home.
Tightly Bridled and Kingofgoldstreet were already under pressure, but King Cyrus
was traveling well within himself.

Castellano pushed him along at the top of the stretch, and the promising colt
responded. King Cyrus opened up by four lengths, getting the six-furlong split
in 1:11 4/5, and his efficient action propelled him ever farther ahead. His
margin widened to 11 lengths at the wire in a final time of 1:24 3/5.

Darley Stable’s Aslan was best of the rest by a resounding 7 3/4 lengths.
Kingofgoldstreet wound up third, followed by entrymate Souperfast (champion
Uncle Mo’s half-brother), Tightly Bridled and High Ransom.

King Cyrus, who opened his account with $48,000, counts four-time Grade 1
star and millionaire Dispute as his third dam. Her other descendants include
multiple Group 3 victress Maoineach and Grade 2-placed stakes scorer Tiz Now Tiz
Then. Dispute is herself a full sister to multiple Grade 1 hero Adjudicating and
a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Time for a Change, both sires.

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