Repole Stable’s Final Score sprinted from the gate to guide rapidly and set a pressured, then left rivals behind late within the Keeneland stretch as he surged clear within the $400,000 Castle & Key Bourbon Stakes (G2) for 2-year-olds on Sunday.
Sent off the favourite underneath Irad Ortiz Jr., Final Score received by about 1 1/4 lengths whereas masking 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.51 on turf rated as agency and returned $4.82. The victory marked his third consecutive following a last-out triumph for coach Todd Pletcher within the With Anticipation (G3) Aug. 28 at Saratoga and his maiden-breaking win Aug. 10 on the Spa.
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Case Cielo, a 19-1 longshot, utilized strain to the surface of Final Score down the backstretch and seemed to get his head in entrance momentarily on the half-mile mark. He was nonetheless urgent from second by six furlongs however in the end weakened within the lane and light to final of 12 runners.
Final Score entered the stretch with a one-length lead from Turf Star, who was in closest pursuit after stalking third and fourth. That rival appeared trapped on the rail by the ultimate furlong, however Tyler Gaffalione discovered a gap with a sixteenth to run and despatched him by, but it surely was too late to catch the winner.
Gordon Pass rallied from subsequent to final to take third.
“He showed speed before but not this kind of speed,” Ortiz said of Final Score. “I thought it was a little more speed than he would have in the race. I thought we were going to be right behind the speed, but he broke so good and put me in a good position without asking too much. I had talked to the trainer (Todd Pletcher) and he said, ‘If he’s on the lead, fine; let him go.’
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“He went a little faster than I wanted, but he got the job done. He deserves a lot of credit. He was a little aggressive going into the first turn, but on the backside he switched off really nice. After that, I just bided my time turning for home. Then when we were in the straight, I asked him to go and he gave me a good turn of foot.”
Fractions on the race had been :22.51, :47.69, 1:12.89 and 1:36.46 by one mile.
The Bourbon Stakes is a ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the $1-million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) Oct. 1 at Del Mar, and Final Score, a Not This Time colt, earned an computerized fees-paid berth into the one-mile occasion.
Final Score’s general document stands at 3-1-0 from 4 begins and 397,550 in purse earnings. He was a $600,000 buy on the 2024 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, the place Taylor Made Sales Agency offered him.
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BG Stables bred Final Score in Kentucky from the Bernardini mare Precious Dixie.
This story was initially reported by Paulick Report on Oct 5, 2025, the place it first appeared within the News part. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here.