BloodHorse
July 9, 2022
Bob Ehalt
Classic Causeway turned in a shocker of a performance July 9 in the $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T) at Belmont Park, winning his turf debut at the highest level at odds of 26-1.
Classic Causeway controlled the pace and held off a cavalry charge of closers at the end to take the grade 1 stakes by three-quarters of a length in his turf debut. The flashy chestnut posted his first win since his March 12 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) score, after which he continued onward toward the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).
In giving McPeek yet another grade 1 win at long odds, Classic Causeway and jockey Julien Leparoux broke from post four in the field of 12 and led by a head over 17-1 European traveler Royal Patronage in :23.55 over firm turf with 32-1 shot Grand Sonata five lengths back in third.
Thereafter the pace began to slow as Royal Patronage fell back, leaving Classic Causeway covering a half-mile in :48.02. Classic Causeway was cruising along with a 1 1/2-length lead, and McPeek loved what he saw.
Classic Causeway never looked back in the final six furlongs, holding a two-length lead at the eighth pole and outlasting a line of five horses behind him that tried in vain to collar him.
Final time for the mile and a quarter was 1:59.99 as Classic Causeway paid $55.50 to win, a far cry from his $3.60 payoff for his last win, four starts ago in the Tampa Bay Derby.
