First-crop 2-year-old Epitaph registered an impressive front-running victory in a $90,000 maiden special weight on the turf at Saratoga on Sunday, Aug. 25, becoming the second winner for his freshman sire Country House.
Ridden by Junior Alvarado, Epitaph set sail for the front at the start of the 5 ½-furlong affair. He received pressure from the inside but moved clear of his rivals down the backstretch while dropping over to the hedge on the far turn. Epitaph responded well when urged in the final furlong, opening 2 ½ lengths on the field in the lane. He held his rivals at bay to score by a length at the finish in his career debut, covering the distance in 1:04.13.
Owned by Joseph Grant, Yellow Moon Stable, Can Do Racing, and Leonard Ficarelle and trained by Gary Contessa, Epitaph is produced from the unraced Into Mischief mare Barb’s On Edge and hails from the family of stakes winners Habitonia and Triple Reverse. Bred in New York by NK Racing, Epitaph is a graduate of this year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale where he was consigned by Randy Miles, agent.
Epitaph is the second winner for Country House, joining Gulfstream maiden special weight winner Bridle a Butterfly. Country House won the 2019 Kentucky Derby (G1) and earned more than $2.1 million in his racing career. By multiple champion and Classic winner Lookin At Lucky—a son of two-time Champion Sire and sire of sires Smart Strike—Country House is out of the winning War Chant mare Quake Lake.
