Title Ready appreciated the drop back from Group 1 contests to become the 207th individual Stakes winner by More Than Ready on Saturday.
Rated close to the leaders off pedestrian fractions in the Louisiana Stakes Gr.3 at Fair Grounds, he reeled in front-runner Blackberry Wine to score by over a length under Brian Hernandez Jr. “The company was a little lighter and he tries hard every time,” trainer Dallas Stewart noted. “That’s the type of horse you want to be around.
“He’s a beautiful More Than Ready and he’s been running against the best. He loves the Fair Grounds and beat some very nice horses today.”
Title Ready (6h More Than Ready – Title Seeker by Monarchos) is a homebred for Charles Fipke and is a half-brother to the dam of Seeking the Soul who is about to begin covering his first book at Ocala Stud in Florida.
Seeking the Soul (Perfect Soul) reached a Group 1 high for Fipke in the 2017 Clark Hcp at Churchill Downs. He and Title Ready descend from undefeated Hall of Fame mare Personal Ensign (Private Account.
Title Ready had won a Keeneland 2yo maiden in October 2017 but was sidelined for almost a year after being injured July 2019. He was coming off Group 1 defeats in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Clark Hcp in November and has now has earned $656,680 from 5 wins and 7 placings in black-type.
A future career at a leading stud is also feasible if he can convert those minors into black caps this year.
Vinery legend More Than Ready had 6 of his penultimate crop of southern yearlings average $262,500 during Book 1 at the Gold Coast Magic Millions. He ceased shuttling in 2019 and was bred to 136 mares at WinStar Farm in Kentucky last year.
More Than Ready (Southern Halo) has just turned 24 and his service fee for the 2021 northern season has been set at $65,000.
