Flat Out, one of Bluewater Sales' most successful auction graduates, improved his record to 4-for-4 at Belmont Park with a victory in the $150,000 Westchester S. (G3) on April 27.
Flat Out was content to sit fourth early on, then moved closer at the half-mile pole and through the turn. Junior Alvarado set his mount drive for the drive, wearing down Cross Traffic in the late stages to win by a head. Flat Out completed one mile in 1:32.99, the third-fastest Westchester in the race’s 85-year history.
“I tried to keep him a little bit closer because I knew that Javier’s horse (Cross Traffic) was the only real speed,” said Alvarado. “He broke well and I asked him a little bit. When I made the decision to go, at the three-eighths pole, he was still in hand. He kept cutting into the lead, little by little, but by the eighth pole I knew he had him. He’s a really good horse.”
Flat Out’s previous wins at Belmont all had come at distances beyond one mile. In 2011 he took the Grade 2 Suburban H. and the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). In October he added a second Gold Cup victory when he defeated Stay Thirsty by a head.
“He does have an affinity for this racetrack, and he showed it today,” said Leana Willaford, assistant to trainer Bill Mott. “He had won going a mile before. Sometimes when you shorten them up, they finish a little stronger. (Junior) did a great job. He was aware (Cross Traffic) was the lone speed and didn’t let him get too far away.”
Flat Out, owned by Preston Stables, is 7-4-3 in 23 career starts. With the $90,000 winner’s share of the Westchester purse, the son of Flatter has now earned more than $2.6 million.
Bluewater sold Flat Out in 2007 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Summer Yearling sale for what now looks like a bargain $85,000 to Preston's Oxbow Racing. Flat Out is a half-brother to five time stakes winner Our Best Man, who made an incredible 117 starts, hitting the board in 60 of those outings.
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