Fish Trappe Road registers initial stakes win in Dwyer

Runner-up in the Woody Stephens (G2) on the Belmont Stakes undercard, Fish Trappe Road came back to record his first stakes win in Saturday’s $500,000 Dwyer (G3), rallying from just off the pace to post a 1 1/4-length decision. Trained by Bret Calhoun and ridden by Luis Saez, the 3-year-old completed a mile in 1:34.82 over the fast Belmont main track.

A gray colt from the first crop of Trappe Shot, Fish Trappe Road was bet down as the 3-1 second choice among eight rivals after being overlooked at 25-1 in the Woody Stephens.

Economic Model was heavily favored at 6-5 following a convincing victory in the Easy Goer on the June 11 Belmont Stakes program, but the Chad Brown-trained colt came under a ride nearing the completion of the far turn and was never a serious threat to the winner, edging 9-1 Tale of S’avall by a nose for second.

Owned by Martin Racing Stable LLC, Fish Trappe Road raced within striking range in third during the early stages as The Great Whiteway established opening splits in :23.35 and :46.47. He rallied to the lead after entering the stretch drive, striding clear with a furlong remaining, and the only suspense was the battle for second.

Multiple Grade 1 runner-up Swipe, the 5-1 third choice, was never a factor finishing a disappointing seventh.

Bred in New York by Rhapsody Farm and Jon Davis, Fish Trappe Road is the first stakes winner out of the stakes-winning Cure the Blues mare Electric Shock. He passed through the auction ring twice, bringing $140,000 as a yearling before selling for $95,000 at the OBS March 2-year-old sale.

Fish Trappe Road broke his maiden over state-bred rivals at Belmont last September and concluded 2015 with a runner-up in the restricted Sleepy Hollow. After opening this year with a seventh in the Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds in mid-January, he was freshened nearly four months, returning with a 5 ¼-length allowance tally on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs.

With Saturday’s $275,000 payday, Fish Trappe Road more than doubled his career earnings to $518,185 from a 9-3-3-0 record.

Fish Trappe Road photo courtesy of Adam Coglianese Photography