Up to the Mark explained

Horsename:Up to the Mark
Sire:Not This Time
Grandsire:Giant's Causeway
Dam:Belle's Final
Damsire:Ghostzapper
Sex:Colt
Foaled:February 28, 2019
Country:United States
Color:Bay
Breeder:Ramspring Farm
Owner:Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable
Trainer:Todd A. Pletcher
Record:12: 6-1-2
Earnings:$2,511,050[1]
Race:Turf Classic Stakes (2023)
Manhattan Stakes (2023)
Coolmore Turf Mile (2023)
Awards:American Champion Male Turf Horse (2023)
Updated:1 February 2024

Up to the Mark (foaled February 29, 2019) is a Champion American Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2023 he won three consecutive Grade I events, the Turf Classic Stakes, Manhattan Stakes and Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes.

Background

Up to the Mark is a bay colt that was bred in Kentucky by Ramspring Farm. He was sired by Not This Time, a graded stakes winner who finished second in the 2016 Breeders' Cup Juvenile before his career has cut short by injury.[2] A son of Giant's Causeway, he stood the 2023 breeding season for a fee of $135,000 at Taylor Made Farm near Nicholasville, Kentucky.[3] His dam Belle's Finale, an unraced three-year-old out of Grade 1 winner Capote Belle (Capote) carrying her first foal by Not This Time, was bought by Mary Leigh Patrick of Ramspring Farm at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale for $70,000. Impressed with her first foal, Belle's Finale was sent back Not This Time and in 2019 produced Up to the Mark.[4] Ramspring Farm, a breed-to-sell operation, sent Up to the Mark to the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sales and he was purchased by Mike Repole of Repole Stable and Vinnie Viola of St. Elias Stable for $450,000.[5]

Career

Up to the Mark began his racing career as a three-year-old in a Maiden Special Weight at Saratoga on July 21, 2022, winning the six-furlong event on the dirt. However, after five more unsuccessful tries on the dirt Up to the Mark was sent to Florida and his connections decided to try him on the turf track.

In January 2023, trainer Todd Pletcher gave him a try on the grass and he responded with a four-length victory in an allowance-level race at Gulfstream Park. He then followed that effort with another clear victory in another allowance.

In his stakes debut in April 2023 at the Keeneland spring meet, Up to the Mark finished third in the G1 Maker's Mark Mile Stakes.[6]

After a successful campaign in 2023 Up to the Mark was awarded an Eclipse Award as the U.S. Male Turf Horse.[7]

Statistics

DateDistanceRaceGradeTrackOddsFieldFinishWinning
Time
Winning
(Losing)
Margin
JockeyRef
2022  - three-year-old season
6 furlongsMaiden Special WeightSaratoga0.90*611:10.87[8]
1 mile AllowanceSaratoga1.80*731:36.35 (lengths) [9]
milesAllowanceAqueduct3.20861:51.55 (10 lengths) [10]
7 furlongsAllowanceAqueduct1.00*641:26.04 (lengths)[11]
1 mile AllowanceAqueduct4.50841:38.64 (9 lengths)[12]
2023  - four-year-old season
1 mile Allowance Optional ClaimingGulfstream Park12.601211:33.10[13]
miles Allowance Optional ClaimingGulfstream Park0.80*1211:40.10[14]
1 mile I Keeneland5.39 831:33.46 (lengths)[15]
miles IChurchill Downs2.63*811:47.31[16]
milesManhattan Stakes I Belmont Park1.65*1011:59.31[17]
1 mile Coolmore Turf MileI Keeneland2.29911:34.18 nose[18]
milesBreeders' Cup TurfISanta Anita3.401122:24.30 (length)[19]
Legend:

Notes:
An (*) asterisk after the odds means Up to the Mark was the post-time favorite.

External links

Video

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Equibase Profile of Up to the Mark . Equibase . November 5, 2023.
  2. Web site: Wilkin . Tim . Not This Time well represented in Saratoga's Travers . BloodHorse.com . August 28, 2022.
  3. Web site: Rollins . Molly . Up to the Mark Noses Master of The Seas in Turf Mile; Set Piece was third and last year's Turf Mile winner, Annapolis, was fourth. . BloodHorse.com . October 7, 2023 . October 11, 2023.
  4. Web site: Petrunyak . Katie . Ramspring Farm Hits the Mark with a Top-Class Turfer . thoroughbreddailynews.com . June 19, 2023 . October 11, 2023.
  5. Web site: Johnson . Karen M. . Up to the Mark Rallies to Dominate Manhattan Stakes; The colt earned his second consecutive grade 1 score. . BloodHorse.com . June 10, 2023 . October 11, 2023.
  6. Web site: Angst . Frank . Up to the Mark Rallies to Win Turf Classic; Hong Kong Harry was second and Spooky Channel finished third. . BloodHorse.com . May 6, 2023 . October 11, 2023.
  7. Web site: Frank . Angst . Versatile Up to the Mark Named Champion Male Turf Horse; Up to the Mark earned grade 1 wins at a mile, 1 1/8 miles, and 1 1/4 miles. . truenicks.com . 25 January 2024 . 1 February 2024.
  8. Web site: Chart for July 21, 2022, Maiden Special Weight Race 1 at Saratoga . equibase.com . July 21, 2022 . 8 October 2023.
  9. Web site: Chart for September 3, 2022, Allowance Race 1 at Saratoga . equibase.com . 3 September 2022 . 8 October 2023.
  10. Web site: Chart for September 29, 2022, Allowance Race 8 at Belmont at the Big A . equibase.com . 29 September 2022 . 8 October 2023.
  11. Web site: Chart for November 29, 2022, Allowance Race 4 at Aqueduct . equibase.com . 26 November 2022 . 8 October 2023.
  12. Web site: Chart for December 18, 2022, Allowance Race 5 at Aqueduct . equibase.com . 18 December 2022 . 8 October 2023.
  13. Web site: Chart for January 28, 2023, Allowance Race 5 at Gulfstream Park . equibase.com . March 4, 2023 . 8 October 2023.
  14. Web site: Chart for March 4, 2023, Allowance Optional Claiming Race 3 at Gulfstream Park. equibase.com . March 4, 2023 . 8 October 2023.
  15. Web site: 2023 Maker's Mark Mile Stakes Grade 1 – (race 9) . Equibase . 14 April 2023 . October 8, 2023.
  16. Web site: Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes Grade 1 - (race 11) . Equibase . 6 May 2023 . October 8, 2023.
  17. Web site: 2023 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes Grade 1 – (race 11) . Equibase . June 10, 2023 . 8 October 2023.
  18. Web site: Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes Grade 1 – (race 10) . Equibase . 7 October 2023 . 8 October 2023.
  19. Web site: Longines Breeders' Cup Turf Grade 1 – (Race 8) . Equibase . November 4, 2023 . November 5, 2023.