4th-KEM, £50,000, Cond, 3-7, 3yo, 8f (AWT), 1:37.74, st.
GRONKOWSKI (c, 3, Lonhro {Aus}–Four Sugars, by Lookin At Lucky), who had scored in facile fashion at Newcastle Feb. 9, was restrained towards the rear by Jamie Spencer for this rescheduled contest which forms part of the initiative of the European ‘Road to the Kentucky Derby’. Tanking his way to the fore out wide after halfway, the 6-4 favourite took control with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining before lugging down to the right to cut across Court House (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}). Hitting the line with 3/4 of a length to spare over that progressive Gosden runner, the bay was allowed to keep the race by the stewards and earn 20 points in the series. Reportedly bound for the Blue Grass or Wood Memorial now, the winner is the first foal out of the unraced Four Sugars, who is a half to the GI Stephen Foster H.-winning sire Flashy Bull (Holy Bull). She has a 2-year-old colt by Uncle Mo, who was bought for $140,000 by Quarter Pole Enterprises at Keeneland September, with her 2017 foal by Verrazano having died and being barren to Nyquist this year. Sales history: $75,000 Wlg ’15 KEENOV; 50,000gns Ylg ’16 TATOCT; 300,000gns 2yo ’17 TATBRE. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $56,148. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Phoenix Thoroughbred Limited; B-Epic Thoroughbreds Llc (KY); T-Jeremy Noseda.