Alternative Route made the most of his first start in stakes company in Saturday’s Rushaway S. at Turfway Park, taking the 1 1/16-mile contest for 3-year-olds by nearly two lengths.
The Tiznow colt has now won two of his four starts and is the third stakes winner and seventh stakes horse this year for his sire.
Alternative Route got a good trip from the outset as he pressed the pace of Giant Honor while just to his outside, with Truth Be Tolled making it a three-way battle through the first half-mile, which went in :48.11.
Giant Honor faded quickly going into the final turn, and Alternative Route took up a lead he would never relinquish, gradually widening the gap in the stretch.
“We had a great trip sitting up there near the speed,” said winning jockey Mitchell Murrill. “That was the place to be if you go off the earlier races. You have to push him along out of the gate, sort of nudge him a little bit, but he ran great, especially down the lane.”
The winner was bred by William Graham and is owned by Spendthrift Farm with Town and Country Racing, who purchased the colt for $265,000 at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton March Select 2-year-olds in Training sale.
Alternative Route is out of La Suena, making him a full brother to graded stakes winner Enstone.
