Southern Equine Stable's Elusive Bluff came running late to catch pacesetter Show Me the Cash at the wire in the Pilgrim Stakes (gr. IIIT) (VIDEO) at Belmont Park Oct. 1. The 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds was originally supposed to be run Sept. 28, but was rescheduled due to heavy rains in New York.
Eric J. Guillot trains Elusive Bluff, who broke his maiden at first asking Sept. 5 at Belmont. At that time, the Elusive Quality colt was owned by Pegasus Dream Stable and conditioned by William Badgett Jr.
In the Pilgrim, which is a “Win and You’re In” race for the Oct. 25 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Show Me the Cash set fractions of 26.06, 51.20, 1:16.83, and 1:41.44 on the yielding turf before losing by a neck. Elusive Bluff, who is out of the grade II-winning mare Megans Bluff, stopped the clock in 1:47.91.
Post time favorite Relatively Ready finished 1 1/4-lengths back in third.
Eldon Farm Equine bred Elusive Bluff in Kentucky. The bay colt returned $8.90, $6.00, and $3.30.
One race earlier, Maram got up just in time to defeat Freedom Rings by a neck in the $164,200 Miss Grillo Stakes (gr. IIIT) (VIDEO). It was the 2-year-old Sahm filly’s first stakes victory and just her second career start.
Trained by Chad Brown, Maram races for Karen Woods. With her win, she is guaranteed a spot in the Oct. 24 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.
“She’s done something that you like to see in that she has grown and developed a lot since I got her in May,” said Brown. “I’ll speak with the owner and if everything is good, we’ll look to the Breeders’ Cup. I don’t know about the Europeans, but she seems as good as anything here.”
Maram made her bid after turning for home, and in a thrilling finish, she got up in the final strides to defeat Freedom Rings, who was only a head in front of My Magic Moment. Race favorite Consequence was a neck further back in fourth.
The 1 1/16-mile contest, which was also originally scheduled for Sept. 28, was completed in 1:46.12. Maram returned $15.20, $6.80, and $5.40.
Out of the Quest for Fame mare American Dreamer, Maram was bred in Kentucky by Palides Investments N. V. and Hair 'Em.
