Stretch made his career debut a winning one, taking a five-furlong maiden special weight by a dominating nine lengths at Lone Star Park on Sunday and becoming the first winner for Darby Dan Farm’s multiple graded stakes winner Modernist.
Trained by Austin Gustafson who co-owns the colt with Christopher Harrington, Stretch raced in fifth position in the early stages. He made a decisive move to the front of the field, taking command in the stretch, and reported home an easy winner. He covered the distance in :58.64.
Bred in Kentucky by Phoenix Farm and Racing, Stretch sold to Harrington for $90,000 at this year’s OBS March Sale. He is produced from the winning Dixie Union mare Carried Away, a half-sister to multiple stakes-placed Wind Caper. Stretch is a half-brother to debut winner A Longlongtimeago and hails from the family of multiple Grade 1 winner and millionaire Defunded (by Darby Dan stallion Dialed In) and Grade 1 winner Code of Honor.
Modernist enjoyed his best season as a sophomore at three in 2020. After dominating maiden special weight foes at Aqueduct, he followed that impressive wire-to-wire victory with a determined score in the $400,000 Risen Star S. (G2) at Fair Grounds in his first foray into stakes company. In another strong effort in his subsequent start, Modernist finished third in the $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) after a wide trip that saw him travel four to five-wide around the far turn.
In 2021, Modernist annexed the Excelsior S. (G3) at Aqueduct and was runner-up in both the Challenger S. (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs and the Pimlico Match Series S. (G3), outfinishing six black-type winners, including Grade 1 winner Max Player. All told, Modernist banked $576,300 while competing against the best of his generation.
A homebred for Martin and Pam Wygod and a son of the heralded Uncle Mo, Modernist descends from a prolific female family. He is produced from the unraced Bernardini mare Symbolic Gesture, a half-sister to both Sweet Catomine, Champion 2-Year-Old Filly and winner of the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), and Life Is Sweet, winner of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (G1) and an earner of $1,820,810. Modernist’s second dam is stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Sweet Life, Broodmare of the Year in 2009.
For more information on Modernist, who has been represented by first 2-year-olds up to $310,000 in the auction ring this year, contact Stallion Director Stuart Fitzgibbon at (859) 621-6763 or by email at Stuart@darbydan.com, or visit darbydan.com.
