By B. Jason Brooks
Phipps Stable’s partnership-owned stakes winner Perform is ending a two-month layoff after finishing sixth in the grade 1 Preakness Stakes last time out. The Good Magic colt is entered for the $135,000 Curlin Stakes at Saratoga Race Course on Friday, July 21st, a mile-and-an-eighth prep race for the meet’s marquee Travers Stakes on August 26th.
Perform broke his maiden in March at Tampa Bay Downs, putting in a bold bid three wide around the far turn before kicking clear in the stretch for a two and three-quarter length victory. His Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey credited the longer distance and jockey for the win, stating, “[e]verything came together when we ran him two turns over at Tampa with Irad (Ortiz Jr.). Irad kind of schooled him a little bit and got him to relax behind those horses and he finished up really good.”
He followed up his maiden win with a victory in the Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park in April. After stumbling at the start, he regrouped and settled in. He dramatically dove to an opening on the inside heading to the sixteenth pole and then altered out in the deep stretch to surge at the wire and win by head.
Last time out, he dove into deep waters for the classic grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in May . Racing off of the pace in the first turn and down the backstretch, he was urged in the far turn, going five wide, but had nothing left once hitting the stretch to finish sixth.
Since the Preakness, Perform has put in a steady series of workouts, including a four-furlong bullet on June 17th at Belmont over the dirt in 46.93 seconds.
Jockey Jose Ortiz will be aboard Perform for a second time, having finished fourth aboard him in a maiden special weight back in January at Gulfstream Park, a race won by eventual Kentucky Derby winner Mage.
Owned in partnership by Woodford Racing, Lanes End Farm, Phipps Stable, Ken Langone and Edward J. Hudson, Jr., he was purchased at the Keeneland September 2021 sale for $230,000. His granddam is a half-sibling to sires Into Mischief and Mendelssohn and four-time champion Beholder.
Phipps Stable Fan 