In Trouble all clear in Futurity

In Trouble had no trouble taking the Futurity  (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography) Team D’s In Trouble stepped up to stakes company off his maiden win to take down the Grade 2, $196,000 Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park on Sunday. “Having done this a long time, I was looking forward to today,” trainer Tony Dutrow said. “I was feeling that we have a talented horse and I’m not surprised at what I saw. I wasn’t predicting this, but I’m not surprised. He’s pretty good. I’d say within a week after his (maiden) race, (we pointed for) this race. “It shows you a lot,” Dutrow added. “This was the second race of his life and he was able to relax and give up the lead and finish up against quality horses. I think that’s a big statement for him.” The two-year-old bay colt broke to a brief lead right out of the gate but it was 9-5 favorite Corfu who took over on the outside to post swift opening fractions of :22 and :44 3/5. In Trouble tracked the leader into the stretch, slowly wore him down and finally drew even with a furlong to go. Corfu did his best to hold on but In Trouble took over with about a sixteenth to go and kicked away to win by 2 1/4 lengths. “I just told (jockey) Joe (Rocco Jr.) that we’ve worked with him a lot in the gate,” Dutrow stated. “He’s a rough horse in the gate. We’ve worked with him a lot, and I think that’s the only thing you’ve got to pay attention to.”

Corfu held on for second, a length over third-place finisher Big Sugar Soda,
who was sixth lengths ahead of Financial Mogul in fourth. Sound of Freedom
brought up the rear. The Sanford winner Wired Bryan was scratched from the race
after capturing the New York Breeders’ Futurity at Finger Lakes on Saturday
night.

“He kind of stumbled leaving there,” said Todd Pletcher, trainer of Corfu.
“The ground broke away from him a little bit and it took him a minute to get his
legs back underneath him, but he finished up pretty well. Second-best. A very
solid effort. We were pleased with his try.”

In Trouble stopped the teletimer in 1:09 3/5 for the six-furlong test over
the fast main track and paid his backers $7 to win as 5-2 second choice.

“He broke really sharp, and I’d rather be outside dictating when we can move
than be inside and be under someone else who can force us,” Rocco said. “It
worked out when I saw I could get behind (Corfu) and get outside of him, that’s
when I went outside and did it. So we had options. I didn’t pull him back; I
just didn’t ask him any more. He was very gentle to rate and did it kindly.”

The son of Tiz Wonderful was coming off a win in his racing debut at Saratoga
on August 10 and now has $168,000 in lifetime earnings from two career starts.

“Part of the plan was, once we got by today, was on to the (Grade 2,
$200,000) Nashua (on November 3) at Aqueduct,” Dutrow said.

Bred in Kentucky by Joseph Duffel, In Trouble is out of the Grand Slam mare
Ballpark Butterfly. His granddam is multiple stakes scorer Miss Lady Bug, who is
a half-sister to stakes winner Belle of Paducah.

In Trouble RNA’d as a weanling for $14,000 at the Keeneland November sale. He
sold as a yearling for $15,000 at the Fasig Tipton Kentucky Fall sale and then sold
again as a two-year-old in training for $120,000 at the OBS Spring sale.

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