Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s Kentucky-bred Up to the Mark edged Master of The Seas (IRE) to win the 38th running of the $1 million Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland on Saturday, Oct. 7. The victory earned Up to the Mark a berth into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) to be run Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.
Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Up to the Mark hooked up in deep stretch with favored Master of The Seas after closing resolutely from the back of the pack. Up to the Mark weaved his way through traffic in the lane and joined his rival inside the sixteenth pole before outdueling him to the finish. Up to the Mark covered the one mile on turf in 1:34.18.
“He got a great trip today,” said Todd Pletcher. “Jose made a very smart move in the middle of the turn when he decided to follow the one horse (Master of The Seas) and things split. But you got to give the horse a ton of credit, to come back off a layoff since June and accelerate the way he did. He’s a serious horse.”
Up to the Mark is a $450,000 graduate of the Keeneland September Sale in 2020. He is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Not This Time out of the Ghostzapper mare Belle’s Finale. In winning his third consecutive Grade 1 event, Up to the Mark improved his record to 11-6-0-2 and boosted his earnings to $1,831,050. Up to the Mark, who was bred in the Bluegrass by Ramspring Farm, also captured the Manhattan S. (G1) in his previous start and the Turf Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs in May.