Big Changes battled with Paternal Pride in the stretch before edging clear to win the John Henry Stakes at Louisiana Downs by one-and-a-quarter lengths August 5.
It was the first Stakes victory for the son of Midshipman, and it improved his overall record to 4-3-1 in 13 career starts.
Settled in third throughout the early stages of the race, Big Changes began to close on the frontrunners on the far turn. In the stretch, Big Changes overhauled Ibaka to take a slight lead. However, Paternal Pride was full of run and soon came up to challenge Big Changes with less than a furlong to run. Big Changes dug down and put away his rival in deep stretch to win by one-and-a-quarter lengths.
Bred in Florida by Joanne Crowe and Joe Pickerrell, Big Changes is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare, Colorama. He hails from the immediate family of G2 winner Grecian Urn, and Stakes winners Grecian Dart and Dark Shell.
In addition to Big Changes, Midshipman is also the sire of 2017 Stakes winner Slip The Cable, winner of the Confucius Say Stakes, and Graded Stakes performers Dearest (third, G2 Inside Information Stakes) and Frammento (third, G3 Westchester).
Midshipman is coming off a banner year in 2016, led by such standouts as G3 Royal North Stakes winner Lady Shipman; Dearest, winner of the G3 Sugar Swirl Stakes; and Red Lodge, winner of the Listed Colleen Stakes.
