Victory Racing Companions’ Extra Than Seems to be made the grade with a last-to-first rating below Corridor of Famer John Velazquez in Friday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Manila, a one-mile Widener turf take a look at for sophomores, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Skilled by Cherie DeVaux, the Extra Than Prepared colt closed to win a paceless allowance take a look at final out touring 1 1/16-miles over agency footing on June 17 at Ellis Park. There was loads of tempo on provide Friday as Extra Than Seems to be, who broke a step sluggish, discovered his greatest stride late to make his stakes debut a profitable one.

“We’ve got a very nice one right here,” stated Anthony Bartolo, managing associate of Victory Racing Companions. “We felt going into this race that it was a troublesome group, but when we had honest fractions to run into, he may run them down. He did a extremely good job with that and when it [the half-mile] got here up in 45 and alter, I knew he was going to be coming. It was fantastic. Johnny did a fantastic job.

“That is our first stakes win, not to mention graded win, so it is an actual deal with,” Bartolo added. “We have had a fantastic group of horses alongside the way in which and we simply by no means bought to win a much bigger one like this. Cherie DeVaux does a incredible job and I am thrilled with what she’s performed with this horse.”

Speak of the Nation broke alertly below the spring/summer season meet’s main rider Jose Ortiz and set a pressured tempo, marking off splits of twenty-two.65 seconds and 45.53 over the agency going with graded-stakes winner Nagirroc on his flank.

Speak of the Nation led the sector to the flip with Nagirroc pestering and a number of graded-stakes winner Main Dude saving floor in third as a hard-to-handle Belouni superior outdoors of rivals. Speak of the Nation and Nagirroc continued their battle by the flip and deep into the stretch run with neither foe backing off from the problem, however Extra Than Seems to be, who saved floor by the flip and angled outdoors of Main Dude on the high of the lane, was in full flight. He swooped outdoors the frontrunning duo within the remaining sixteenth and secured the 1 1/2-length win in a remaining time of 1:33.19.

Speak of the Nation received the place battle by a neck over Nagirroc with Main Dude, Dreaming of Kona, Belouni and Amstrong rounding out the order of end. Activist Investing was scratched.

Velazquez stated he was ready for a probably robust break from the gate.

“Cherie instructed me he may very well be troublesome and to not push him or contact him. I assumed he would have broke a little bit higher, nevertheless it did not actually matter at this time,” Velazquez stated. “He bought into a great rhythm by the point we bought to the five-eighths pole. I used to be fairly assured then. The way in which he broke I used to be a little bit involved as a result of that is so much to make up, however by the point he caught as much as them, I used to be a little bit extra relaxed that he was in a great place.”

Extra Than Seems to be graduated at second asking on March 31 over the Gulfstream Park artificial forward of a rallying runner-up effort in a one-mile Keeneland turf allowance captured by Turf King, who received the Grade 3 Marine final weekend at Woodbine Racetrack.

“The race at Keeneland, he was manner vast once more and bought nipped on the wire,” Bartolo stated. “Then he received at Ellis coming from final, so we felt he belonged on this race if we gave him the chance. Now I really feel we belong.”

Bartolo stated Extra Than Seems to be will level to the Grade 2, $500,000 Nationwide Museum of Racing Corridor of Fame on August 4 at Saratoga Race Course the place he may face one other DeVaux trainee in current Belmont maiden winner Northern Invader.

“Consider it or not, Cherie pointed to that race a methods out, so that is the trail we wanted to take,” Bartolo famous. “That being stated, he is performed every part to point out he belongs there, so now I would say if he comes again alright, that is the spot we might shoot for subsequent.”

The Graham Movement-trained Nagirroc captured the Grade 3 Futurity in October at Belmont on the Huge A forward of a third-place end within the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in November at Keeneland. He was a recreation second within the Grade 3 Transylvania in April at Keeneland to kick off his sophomore season and entered from a 3 1/4-length rating within the one-mile James W. Murphy on Might 20 at Pimlico Race Course.

Ortiz, who received 4 races on Friday’s card to ascertain a 55-53 lead over his brother Irad Ortiz, Jr. within the spring/summer season meet standings, stated he was happy with the hassle from Nagirroc.

“The velocity on the observe has been holding up properly, so we felt like if he jumped properly, we might try to go to the entrance,” Ortiz stated. “He ran a fantastic race, he was just a bit unlucky to get beat late. He dug in and ran too good to lose. However that is the sport. In a lot of these races, there’s at all times a number of good horses. He bought beat by one other good horse. I am content material together with his effort.”

Extra Than Seems to be is out of the stakes-winning Harlan’s Vacation mare Girls’ Privilege, who’s a full-sister to a number of graded-stakes winner Takeover Goal – winner of the 2015 Grade 2 Nationwide Museum of Racing Corridor of Fame. His third dam, Vital Crew, produced a number of Grade 1-winning New York-bred Vital Eye.

Bred in Kentucky by Hinkle Farms, Extra Than Seems to be banked $137,500 in victory whereas bettering his document to 5-3-1-0. He returned $16.40 for a $2 win wager.

Reside racing resumes Saturday at Belmont Park with a 12-race card that includes the Grade 1, $750,000 Belmont Derby Invitational in Race 10; the Grade 1, $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Belmont Oaks Invitational in Race 8; the Grade 2, $350,000 Suburban in Race 5; and the Grade 3, $175,000 Victory Journey in Race 11. First put up is 1:05 p.m. Jap.

America’s Day on the Races will current reside protection and evaluation of the Belmont Park spring/summer season meet on the networks of FOX Sports activities. For the printed schedule and channel finder, go to https://www.nyra.com/belmont/racing/tv-schedule/.

NYRA Bets is the easiest way to wager each race of the Belmont Park spring/summer season meet. Out there to horse gamers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is obtainable for obtain at this time on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.