Timeline Remains Unbeaten in G3 Peter Pan

ELMONT, NY – Making his first graded stakes start in only his third career race, Timeline won the Grade 3, $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park to remain unbeaten.

Breaking a step slow from post 2 with Javier Castellano aboard, Timeline moved into second position as Meantime went to the front of the field of six, setting fractions of :24.07 and :47.68. At the 1/4-pole, Timeline was set down in a full drive to engage the leader. Surpassing Meantime at the top of the stretch, Timeline was ridden out to the wire to win by 3 1/2 lengths.

He completed the 1 1/8-mile victory in 1:51.62 over a sloppy main track.

“He’s a really nice horse, and the way he did it today was amazing,” said Castellano. “This kind of horse is very straight-forwarded. All you have to do is push a button and he goes forward. The track was a good condition for him. He was really professional. I think he can improve a lot, too.”

With the win, the son of Hard Spun increased his career earnings to $183,000 for owners Woodford Racing.

“The horse ran great,” said winning trainer Chad Brown. “There was a little anxious moment on the turn there. I couldn’t really see if he lost the bridle a little bit or what. Javier said he kind of ran in spots a little bit at the end of the race. He kind of had to use him a little bit out of the gate to get his footing and then felt good. Then, at one point in the race, again, he felt like he maybe should’ve went with the going just a touch. Then he cut the corner and got on better footing and the horse gave him another good kick.”

Traditionally the local prep for the Grade 1, $1.25 million Belmont Stakes on June 10, Brown would not confirm if the winning colt would be pointed to the race, but he’s keeping all options on the table.

“I’ll speak to Bill Farish, who manages this horse, and we’ll go from there,” said Brown. “We had spoken earlier in the day that if we had some success here, the Haskell is a race that we have a lot of interest in, with maybe one race between now and then. He doesn’t strike me as a mile-and-a-half horse, but I’m not going to declare him out of the race. I’ll discuss that with Mr. Farish, but that wasn’t really my plan going in here. We’re still in the developmental stage with this horse.”

Following Meantime in second was Impressive Edge, followed by Take Your Guns, Master Plan, and Lookin At Blessing.

Timeline returned $2.90, $2.30, and $2.10. Meantime brought back $4.20 and $2.70, while Impressive Edge paid $3.30 to show.

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Additional Race Quotes

Trainer Chad Brown, Timeline and Take Your Guns: “I thought it was a good move at the time, because where the other jockey [Jose Ortiz, aboard Meantime, No. 3] was attempting to put Timeline was way in the center of the track and I didn’t want to see him out there. I figured that was a good move, let’s see what he’s got. It’s seemed like in earlier races, on the rail and on the lead was good. It looked like as good of footing as you could find today was right there.

“The horse earned everything. And, then after breaking a little slow, had to be used. The 4 horse [Impressive Edge] was actually trying to put him in a box behind the 1, and Javier said he had to use the horse the first eighth of a mile to get out of that. He just relayed to me that the impressive thing about the horse is how many runs you can make with him and he’s there for you.

“I’ll speak to Bill Farish, who manages this horse, and we’ll go from there. We had spoken earlier in the day that if we had some success here, the Haskell is a race that we have a lot of interest in, with maybe one race between now and then. He doesn’t strike me as a mile-and-a-half horse, but I’m not going to declare him out of the race. I’ll discuss that with Mr. Farish, but that wasn’t really my plan going in here. We’re still in the developmental stage with this horse.”

On Take Your Guns, who finished 4th: “I spoke with Joel briefly and he just said he ran a bit one-paced. The track, I don’t know if that played into it or not. I was looking more towards developing him into the Belmont, even though he’s lightly-raced. because he looks like a horse that will run all day. I’ll have to evaluate the race and how he comes out to see if he’ll go on.”

Jockey Javier Castellano, Timeline: On a potential start in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes: “I think he can [go 1 1/2 miles]. The way he galloped out and stayed strong; he can run all day. But it’s up to the owner and trainer. But he can handle the slop.”

NYRA