A moderate pace could not deter 9-10 favorite Dynamic One from notching his first career graded win in Saturday’s $388,000 Suburban S. (G2) at Belmont Park, but the winning margin was a tight one as the son of Union Rags prevailed only by a long nose over First Captain.
Trailing the field of five most of the way, though only 3 1/2 lengths behind pacesetting stablemate Untreated, Dynamic One made a three-wide rally into contention on the far turn, poked his head in front approaching the eighth pole, and battled First Captain to the wire under Irad Ortiz Jr. The final time for 1 1/4 miles on a fast track was 2:01.26. The internal fractions were :24.90, :49.39, 1:13.75, and 1:37.49.
“When he made the lead, he waited a little bit and then he fought back,” Ortiz said. “We always liked him, but he could do some things that were a little green out there.”
Racing in the colors of St. Elias Stable, who owns the colt in partnership with Repole Stable and Phipps Stable, Dynamic One returned $3.80. First Captain, who had captured the Pimlico Special (G3) last out, finished three parts of a length ahead of Untreated. It was 7 3/4 lengths back to 2021 Suburban winner Max Player, who had a neck on Forewarned.
This was the third career stakes win for Dynamic One, who entered the Suburban off a one-length win in the Blame S. at Churchill Downs on June 4. That followed placings earlier this year in the Challenger (G3) and Ben Ali (G3).
“He has progressed and caught kind of a tough race first time back at Tampa and then we were at a starting point and felt like he would improve after that,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He made a move forward at Keeneland and then put together probably his most professional race last time in the Blame. It seems like he just keeps getting a little better and he’s starting to figure things out. He’s a horse that we’ve always had high hopes for.”
Last season, Dynamic One’s lone stakes win came in the restricted Curlin S. at Saratoga. He missed by a head to stablemate Bourbonic in the Wood Memorial (G2), but finished far up the track in both the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Travers (G1). He moves on, likely to the Sept. 3 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga, with a record of 12-4-3-1, $699,950.
Bred in Kentucky by Phipps Stable, Dynamic One was sold for $725,000 at Keeneland September. He was produced by Beat the Drums, a daughter of Smart Strike and 2002 champion juvenile filly Storm Flag Flying. Dynamic One’s third dam was the multiple Grade 1 winner My Flag, and his fourth dam the undefeated Hall of Famer Personal Ensign.
Victory Ride S. (G3)
Hot Peppers survived a race-long duel to win the $145,500 Victory Ride S. (G3), a 6 1/2-furlong dash for three-year-old fillies, by three parts of a length under Luis Saez.
Owned by Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso, Hot Peppers led all the way and covered the distance in 1:17.73. She returned $10.60 as the fourth choice in a field of five.
Half Is Enough, the longest price in the field at 8-1, sat in the catbird seat as three rivals dueled for the lead, but couldn’t get past the winner in the stretch. She finished 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Sterling Silver, who nosed out Happy Soul. Pretty Birdie, the 7-5 favorite, stumbled at the start, rushed to vie for the lead, but retreated rapidly on the far turn.
Unplaced in her stakes debut against Florida-breds at Tampa Bay Downs in March, Hot Peppers is now 2-for-2 since joining the Rudy Rodriguez Stable. She preceded this win with a 6 3/4-length triumph in the June 12 Jersey Girl S. at Belmont. Her record now stands at 7-5-1-0, $277,950.
Bred by Brent Fernung and Crystal Fernung, Hot Peppers is by Khozan and out of Friends Pro, by Friends Lake. She last sold for $16,000 as an OBS juvenile.
