Trainer Michael Maker was the star of Turfway Park’s Kentucky Cup Day
FUTURE PROSPECT (Freud) was trained by Maker through his 2009
“I was going to run him in the Presque Isle Mile and drew the 12
“He’ll run all over the place. He’s run at seven different tracks and
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“I don’t know what we’ll do next. We’ll see how the horse comes back. I might
look at those races (Breeders’ Cup); he’s Breeders’ Cup nominated, but I’m not
sure if we’ll take a shot or not.”
Future Prospect vied for the early lead with Strike Impact (Smart
Strike) through an opening quarter of :24 2/5 before grabbing command.
Once in control, Prado slowed things down through a half in :47 4/5 and
six furlongs in 1:11 4/5. General Quarters (Sky Mesa), who had been
stalking four wide, began his run on the longtime leader in the lane and
briefly looked to threaten. Future Prospect managed to turn back the
dual Grade 1 winner, though, completing 1 1/16 miles on the
Polytrack in 1:44 3/5.
“He was ready to go. He was warming up beautifully,” Prado said. “Around the
backside he was pretty much in command. I just had to wait as long as I could,
but when I turned him loose, he responded. My horse was really trying in the
stretch. I was very excited about that.”
Sent off the 18-1 longest shot in the field, Future Prospect rewarded his
backers with payouts of $38.40, $15.80 and $9.60. General Quarters was best of
the rest by six lengths over third-placer Demarcation (Gulch), while Workin for
Hops (City Zip), Baryshnikov (Empire Maker), Strike Impact, Havelock (Great
Notion) and Shediak (Fr) (Selkirk) completed the order under the wire.
“I think he loves the cooler weather, and if the race was just a little
longer, he would have gotten there,” owner/trainer Tom McCarthy said of General
Quarters. “That other horse was tiring. Had it been another sixteenth of a mile,
we would have won it. That was a very good race. It showed me he wants to go on.
I think he beat a lot of nice horses today.”
“I had a great trip,” said Jamie Theriot, who piloted General Quarters. “He
broke well, got in a good stalking position. No complaints. He just got outrun.
Turning for home, I thought I’d get there.”
Future Prospect’s only previous stakes victories came in the 2009 Funny Cide
S. and Jazzing Around S. in New York. The dark bay seven-year-old also placed in
that year’s High Rock Spring S. and Fratello Ed S. before going to the sidelines
for 17 months. He was making his return to stakes competition in this spot
following a trio of wins against allowance/optional claiming rivals, and now
boasts a 29-14-3-2, $475,263, scorecard.
Bred in New York by Thomas/Lakin, Future Prospect was a $47,000 Keeneland
September RNA before being purchased for $90,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Calder
selected two-year-old in 2006. He is out of the winning Devil’s Waltz (Marshua’s
Dancer), who also produced Canadian Grade 3 runner-up Waltzin’ Storm (Storm
Creek).
Devil’s Waltz is a half-sister to Grade 3-placed stakes victress Miss L
Attack (Skywalker) and listed-placed Kirt Clearance (Cryptoclearance). This is
the same female line as 2007 Malibu S. (G1) hero Johnny Eves (Skimming), and
Grade 3 scorers Break Water Edison (Lemon Drop Kid) and Devil’s Bride (Caro
[Ire]).