'Everything Is On The Table' For Kelso Winner Think Big

‘Everything Is On The Table’ For Kelso Winner Think Big originally appeared on Paulick Report.

Godolphin’s Kentucky homebred Think Big earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for his rail-rallying score under Jose Ortiz in Saturday’s Kelso (G3), a two-turn inner turf mile for older horses, at the July 4th Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Michael Stidham, the 4-year-old Twirling Candy bay had not traveled two turns since a pacesetting eighth in a nine-furlong Keeneland allowance on dirt in October. At that time, Stidham decided to switch surfaces with Think Big and cut him back in distance – a decision that proved prudent with his charge taking down both the Grade 2 Shakertown in April at Keeneland the Grade 2 Turf Sprint in May at Churchill Downs.

Think Big endured a troubled trip as the favorite in the 5 1/2-furlong Grade 1 Jaipur on June 8 here when seventh over good going but was back to winning ways on Saturday with a surging run to the outside of retreating pacesetter Arzak before racing to the inside of a game Intellect to notch the one-length score in a final time of 1:32.81. The winning effort registered a 98 Beyer Speed Figure.

Stidham noted he was concerned into the final turn when a pace-pressing Donegal Momentum stumbled in front of the field.

“I don’t think anybody knew what was happening there,” Stidham said. “He didn’t have anyone in front of him to clip heels with, it was a strange occurrence that you don’t see that often and it happened right in front of us. I’m glad that horse is OK and I’m glad that he didn’t fall.

“It looked like we lost some momentum from the incident, and I really thought, watching the race, that we were in trouble,” Stidham continued. “I didn’t think that Jose had any horse under him because he was kind of niggling at him on the turn and he didn’t really look like he was going anywhere. But when he switched leads and straightened away into the stretch, he found a seam and re-broke again.”

Stidham said the most impressive part of Think Big’s performance came in the final furlong.

“You’ll see horses that are really good sprinters, you’ll see good milers, but rarely do you see a horse that has the same turn-of-foot going 5 1/2-furlongs as they do going a mile — and that’s what he showed yesterday,” Stidham said. “He has a huge stride and when he gets into gear late in a race, he lengthens his stride so well, he just eats up ground and can get to them quickly.”

Stidham said Think Big’s effort could potentially earn him a shot in the one-mile $750,000 FanDuel Fourstardave (G1) on August 2, a “Win and You’re In” for the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile in November at Del Mar – a race he is keen to point towards with the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint contested at an abbreviated five furlongs at Del Mar.

However, he said he will speak with the connections this week to also discuss lucrative options for Think Big at Kentucky Downs, including the six-furlong $2 million [$1 million KTDF] Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint (G2) on August 30 and the $2.5 million [$1 million KTDF] Mint Millions (G3) on September 6.

“There’s the Fourstardave in a month, so that’s certainly in the mix. Everything is on the table right now,” Stidham said. “This is what we were hoping for when we tried the mile, that these new doors will open up because the thought of running five furlongs at the end of the year at the Breeders’ Cup was not a good option. Although he’s been successful at 5 1/2 furlongs, I think five [furlongs] is a little too short and I wasn’t really looking forward to that. Hopefully, if he’s healthy and doing well, this helps us with running him in the Breeders’ Cup at the end of the year, going a mile.”

Think Big, out of the stakes-winning Street Sense mare Always Thinking, has banked $809,035 via an 11-6-0-1 record. Stidham noted the talented gelding shipped back to Delaware Park overnight and was in good order this morning.

Stidham will send out another promising Kentucky homebred for Godolphin in Race 11 on Thursday at Colonial Downs as Montador [post 5, Francisco Arrieta] switches to turf in a one-mile maiden special weight for 3-year-olds and up.

The Nyquist sophomore colt debuted in a 6 1/2-furlong sprint over the main track in August at Colonial Downs, landing 1 3/4-lengths back of Pascaline, who exited that event to win the Laurel Futurity.

Montador has worked steadily over the Delaware dirt towards his return and traveled to Fair Hill on June 30 to breeze five-furlongs in 1:01.80 over good turf.

The nicely bred colt is out of the Lady Montdore, who won the 2018 Grade 2 Glens Falls at Saratoga for trainer Tom Albertrani. His third dam is multiple graded stakes-winner Hystericalady [23-11-4-2, $2.3 million], who captured the 2007 Grade 1 Humana Distaff.

“Montador was one of last year’s 2-year-olds that we thought was amongst the top 2-year-olds we had in the barn,” Stidham said. “He had the one start and got injured out of that race, so he’s been off for quite a while.

“We’re getting him back and we’ve experimented a little with him,” Stidham continued. “His dam was a winner on grass, and we were able to work him on the turf, and we thought he really finished up well and galloped out good on the grass. So, we’ll give him a shot.”

Stidham said he expects a good effort from Montador despite the lengthy layoff.

“He’s the type that gets a lot out of his morning works, so he’s as close to ready as we would want to have him. He’s ready to go,” Stidham said.

Stidham noted the regally-bred horses he oversees for Godolphin more than make the early mornings worthwhile.

“That’s what you get with Godolphin. Every summer when they walk those 2-year-olds into your barn, you feel like it’s Christmas morning – you just never know what you might be getting, and it’s certainly helping to keep me in the business a little longer,” said Stidham, with a laugh.

This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.

‘Everything Is On The Table’ For Kelso Winner Think Big

Tags: