It's Our Time brings the hype into Champagne Stakes

Trainer Tom Amoss enjoyed a stellar Saratoga meet, topped by maiden winner It’s Our Time, who romped to a near 20-length victory on debut. Now, Amoss is hoping It’s Our Time proves his smashing victory was no fluke in Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne Stakes for 2-year-olds going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct.

By top sire Not This Time, out of the dam Shea D Summer, It’s Our Time, a Virginia-bred, was a $425,000 purchase at the Keeneland September sale last year. On Aug. 16, It’s Our Time was sent off as the 5-1 second choice. Under Luis Saez, It’s Our Time raced near the front of the nine-horse field and made a quick middle move, eventually leading by 10 lengths into the stretch. The final margin was 17 3/4 lengths, with It’s Our Time running 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.63.

“That performance was certainly eye-opening,” Amoss told track publicity. “Now, he has to do it against accomplished horses. I think there is a bit of a target on his back. He has to show he can do it again because that was such a talked about race. He has a lot to live up to.”

While Grade 1 Hopeful winner Ted Noffey is running in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, It’s Our Time still faces some solid juveniles Saturday. Curtain Call, trained by Mark Casse, was third in the Hopeful after a solid maiden win. Ricardo Santana Jr. rides from the rail.

Aye Eye had one of the most talked about debuts at Saratoga, when he got off extremely slow, dropping back to 19 lengths, before coming with a furious run to win 1 1/2 lengths. That race was a restricted maiden race and trainer Joe Orseno stepped Aye Eye up in the Hopeful, where he ran fifth. Samuel Marin takes over for Javier Castellano who’s riding elsewhere.

Casse also sends out Just Asap, who was second in the Sapling at Monmouth last out and gets a rider switch to Florent Geroux.

Last-out maiden winners Talkin, Napoleon Solo, Stickupwithoutagun, and Universe are also in the field, while Stradale, still a maiden for trainer Steve Asmussen, completes the field.

The Champagne is a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Oct. 31 at Del Mar, offering the winner a fees-paid berth into the race. The Champagne also offers Kentucky Derby points to its top five finishers.

Jockey Club Derby

Aside from the Grade 1 Frizette, Saturday’s card features three other stakes. In the Grade 2 Jockey Club Derby, trainer Chad Brown is hoping Hill Road can get back to his roots in his second start since returning to turf. After two turf starts to begin his career in Ireland, Hill Road ran third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and ran in the Belmont. Last out, he ran third in the Nashville Derby at Kentucky Downs. Brown also entered Asbury Park.

Todd Pletcher is also sending out a duo, with Crudo looking to re-find his form. A stakes winner earlier this year on dirt, Crudo ran a solid fourth in the Saranac on turf last out. Noble Confessor was a highly-touted 2-year-old, running in the BC Juvenile Turf as a maiden. Noble Confessor finally broke his maiden two back and then ran sixth in the Nashville Derby last out.

The Grade 2 Miss Grillo drew an overflow field of 13 with no clear top choice. Brown’s Deep Learning is likely to be favored off a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Natalma.

The Discovery Stakes marks the return of Rated by Merit, who appeared a possible Kentucky Derby threat against lesser competition last year in Florida. Off since November of last year, Rated by Merit has been switched to Brown’s barn.

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