Field Pass didn’t get the trip jockey Victor Carrasco envisioned in Saturday’s $192,000 Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup (G3), but the four-year-old colt found just enough room inside of long-time leader Ramsey Solution to get the job done in the final yards to capture the one-mile test at Pimlico as the 3-5 favorite.
“I had a rough time trying to get him to relax behind horses,” said Carrasco, who had to hug the rail in behind Ramsey Solution as that rival set splits of :24.59, :48.33, and 1:11.55. “My plan was to swing to the outside and stalk him, but I had (Talk Or Listen) right on top of me. I had no other choice but to wait, be patient, and pray for the room to open up, which it did.”
Squeezing up inside Ramsey Solution in the final furlong, Field Pass came on at the end to win by a neck for his sixth career stakes win. Owned by Three Diamonds Farm and trained by Mike Maker, Field Pass completed the firm-course test in 1:35.12 and paid $3.40.
#FieldPass takes the Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup (G3) from @PimlicoRC!
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) July 24, 2021
Watch the #TwinSpiresReplay ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/bcHYyGZH1H
Ramsey Solution finished 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Talk Or Listen, who was 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Posterity. The Turf Cup lost a bit of intrigue with the scratches of Pixelate, who would have been among the top two betting choices, and English Bee.
Grade 3-placed at two, Field Pass won five stakes last season and placed in three others in a campaign that took him throughout North America. His triumphs included the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) and Ontario Derby (G3) on synthetic, as well as the Transylvania (G3), Dania Beach S., and Audubon S. on turf. His placings included the American Turf (G2) and Twilight Derby (G2).
Field Pass had been unplaced in three prior starts this season, but all came against tougher company in the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1), Manhattan (G1), and Wise Dan (G2). His record now stands at 20-7-2-3, $728,143.
Bred in Maryland by Mark Brown Grier, Field Pass sold for $37,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic October yearling sale. By Lemon Drop Kid, he was reared by the Runaway Groom mare Only Me.
