Engage rolls home in the Futurity S. (G3)

Engage became Into Mischief’s newest graded stakes winner after his romp in Saturday’s Futurity S. (G3) at Belmont Park.

The colt sat last in the six-furlong contest as the pack set fractions of 22.52 for the opening quarter and 45.76 at the half-mile pole. He stayed three-wide behind rivals into the turn to the quarter-pole, when Jose Ortiz swung him four wide in the upper stretch. With a burst of speed at the eighth pole, the colt took the lead and rolled home to win the race by 3 ½ lengths (Watch race).

Winning trainer Chad Brown said that the one mile Nashua S. (G2) could be next for the son of Into Mischief.

“He strikes me as a one-turn horse, but I think there is room for improvement and we are going to try to stretch him out gradually,” said Brown.

Engage brings his tally to two wins and one placing from three lifetime starts, bringing his earnings to over $150,000. He is out of Nefertiti and was bred in Kentucky by Woods Edge Farm. The colt was a $200,000 KEESEP yearling purchase and owners Woodford Racing paid $550,000 for him at OBS March.

Engage became his sire’s 15th stakes winner this year, which is tied for fourth-most for all North American sires.