Big Beautiful Thinker!

Godolphin's Think Big took a step back up in trip well in his stride with another barnstorming performance over the weekend to claim the G3 Kelso Stakes at Saratoga!

A two-time G2 winner already this season over sprint distances, Think Big was stepped up to a mile for the Kelso. And he saw the trip out in splendid fashion, staying on under a now signature late swoop, this time under Jose Ortiz.

“It [the stretch-out] was something that was always on our mind once he loved the grass as much as he did. At some point, we were going to try stretching him at least up to a mile,” said Mike, after the race, before alluding to Think Big's tardy start last time out in the GI Jaipur which ruined any chance he had from the get-go.

“After what happened last time where he got off bad and had no chance, we thought, 'OK, here's our chance to do it,'" said Mike. “He had won two Grade IIs in a row going five and a half [furlongs], so it wasn't something we were going to do out of those races, but when the last race went sideways, we decided now's our chance.”

A tentative next possible start for Think Big could mean a step back down in trip, with a possible shot at the extremely valuable G2 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint, on August 30th,

And here's the stable's entries this week (per Equibase).

Wednesday

Colonial Downs

La Portada - Race 3, Maiden Special Weight

Delaware Park

Conch Fried Rice - Race 3, Maiden Special Weight

Thursday

Colonial Downs

Frost Mountain - Race 4, Claiming $12,500

Rampagius - Race 7, Claiming $16,000

Cool Customer - Race 8, Maiden Special Weight

Chantico - Race 9, Claiming $30,000

Divino - Race 10, Allowance

Montador - Race 11, Maiden Special Weight