First winner for Brody’s Cause sharp in Woodbine MdSpWt victory

Spendthrift Farm freshman sire Brody’s Cause was represented by his first winner on Sunday when Gospel Way finished very strongly in his career debut to score by 1 ¼-lengths in a $85,848 Maiden Special Weight race at Woodbine.

Ridden by Emile Ramsammy, Gospel way tracked a pair of pacesetters in third before uncorking his rally in mid-stretch, then blew by Dancing Dragon in the final sixteenth to post a decisive victory. The final time was a very solid 58.37 for the five furlongs over the synthetic main track.

Trained by Nathan Squires, Gospel Way earned $43,200 for owner/breeder William B. Thompson, Jr. Gospel Way is out of the Pulpit mare Bible Belt, whose dam Buckeye Search won the Bourbonette S. and placed in the Grade 2 Black Eyed Susan S.

Brody’s Cause made an immediate impact on the race track when won the Keeneland Breeders’ Futurity (G1) in the fast dirt running of the event in the past 20 years, defeating future classic winner Exaggerator in the process. He would continue that success the following year with a win in the Blue Grass S. (G1) and retire to Spendthrift with earnings of more than $1.1 million.

Brody’s Cause, who stands for a fee of $7,500 S&N, is participating in Spendthrift’s renowned breeding program for freshman sires – the Safe Bet program – in 2020, which guarantees breeders a graded stakes-winning 2-year-old from his first crop this year or no stud fee will be owed in 2021 when the resulting foal is born.