Frosted puts the icing on the cake
J A McGrath
8 August, 2016
Kiaran McLaughlin has never made any secret of his high regard for Godolphin's mighty Frosted, who effortlessly registered his third G1 success at Saratoga on Saturday.
What a monster of a horse he has become. As a flagship, the four-year-old son of Tapit is answering every challenge, looking all the while like one who is stronger and more able as he matures.
He is a step away from champion status, but first he must win either win the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita on November 5 or the G1 Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March 2017 - or both.
"We are privileged to have him in our barn," McLaughlin said. "He is very versatile. He finished second in the G1 Belmont Stakes, over a mile and a half, he ran an unbelievable race to win the G1 Met Mile at Belmont, and now, over a mile and one eighth, he has won his third $1m race.
"He won the G1 Wood Memorial, the G2 Pennsylvania Derby and now the G1 Whitney Stakes, which is such an important race to win. What he's done is great," the Godolphin trainer said.
This was a moment for Godolphin America to savour. The applause broke out as the handsome grey swept past the furlong pole, with five rivals struggling in his wake, on his way to this major triumph.
He won without once being hit with the whip by jockey Joel Rosario, and he appeared to have plenty up his sleeve after running the first half-mile in 46.2secs, and the first six furlongs in 1min 09.3secs.
His final time was 1min 47.77secs, a tick over one second outside the track record.
Rosario was full of praise for his partner. "He was very game. It was probably not his style (to make the running) but he was up there, and there was not a lot of pace on.
"He was really enjoying it. He looked like he was going easy, but I knew we were going fast. Yes, he's a horse for the (Breeders' Cup) Classic," the jockey agreed.
McLaughlin feels the change of tactics threw up another option, with the Breeders' Cup in mind. "It was different for him to go to the lead. Obviously, we had always taken him a little bit off the pace previously. But Santa Anita is very speed favoured as a track, so at least we know he can do it up front and be there. He can lead or be ridden from behind. It's nice to know," he said.
While the celebrations continued into the night at Saratoga, Frosted walked to his box at Greentree, at the back of the racetrack. He got home and ate up like one who had done a good day's work. And, truth be told, he had.
