Timberlake skips over slop en route to Champagne glory

Oct 07, 2023 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

Bettors were slightly cool toward Timberlake for the first time in the
two-year-old colt's four-race career in Saturday's $500,000 Champagne (G1) at
Aqueduct. The faithful were rewarded when Timberlake proved comfortably best in
the 2024 Road to the Kentucky Derby series prep.

Timberlake had been favored in each of his first three starts, but had won
only once, that being a 9 1/4-length maiden score at Ellis Park in his second start.
That was impressive enough to make him the public choice in the Hopeful (G1) at
Saratoga on Labor Day, but Timberlake was upset that day by longshot Nutella
Fella in what was a slowly-run affair.

Bettors heavily gravitated toward the Todd Pletcher-trained Fierceness in the
one-mile Champagne, contested over a sloppy track. But it was the more
experienced Timberlake who made all the right moves.

Saving ground a couple of lengths behind pacesetter General Partner,
Timberlake was shifted outside that rival approaching the turn for home and
easily drew away from him down the stretch while racing well out in the
middle of the track. Under Florent Geroux, Timberlake scored by 4 1/4 lengths in
a time of 1:35.90.

Owned by WinStar Farm and Siena Farm, Timberlake returned $11.80. He is
trained by Brad Cox, who decided to remove blinkers from the colt's equipment
after two races.

'He got a good, clean trip today,' Cox said. 'He got away well. We had a bit
of a rough trip in the Hopeful. I thought with a little bit of a cleaner run he
maybe would have got to the wire first, but that's the way it goes. I'm very
proud of the effort today. It was a huge win.'

Finishing second was General Partner, who had a 6 1/4-length margin on 37-1
outsider Dancing Groom. The order of finish was rounded out by Gold Sweep, Air
Cav, El Grande O, 1-2 favorite Fierceness, and Sweet Soddy J.

Timberlake earned 10 qualifying points toward next year's Kentucky Derby.
General Partner earned five points, Dancing Groom three points, Gold Sweep two
points, and Air Cav one point. Timberlake also earned a fees-paid berth toward
next month's Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita.

By Into Mischief, Timberlake was produced by the stakes-placed Pin Up, a
Lookin at Lucky half-sister to Thomas Chippendale, a dual Group winner at Royal
Ascot.

Other notables from this family are Irish champion juvenile filly Quarter
Moon and Irish 1000 Guineas (G1) heroine Yesterday.