New York Thunder kept his perfect record intact with an impressive gate-to-wire romp in the G2 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga on Friday, 28 July.
The three-year-old son of Nyquist, who has won all four of his starts by a combined 23 and a quarter lengths, has won on dirt, turf and synthetic surfaces. The six and a half-furlong Amsterdam marked his first start on dirt.
Ridden for the first time by Tyler Gaffalione, New York Thunder shot like a rocket out of the starting gate and never looked back as he quickly opened a two-length lead on the rest of the field. He was tracked by heavily favored Drew’s Gold, who attempted to challenge the leader after a quarter mile but was quickly rebuffed. New York Thunder continued to roll in the stretch, widening his advantage despite not changing to his right lead until late in the race.
At the wire it was all New York Thunder, who crossed the finish line seven and a half lengths in front of Deer District, who nipped Drew’s Gold by a nose for second. New York Thunder, whose split time for the six furlongs (1:07.77) broke the track record, stopped the teletimer in a swift 1:14.65 for the six and one half furlongs.
Bred in Kentucky by Gatewood Bell and Forgotten Land, New York Thunder is out of Start Over, an unraced daughter of fellow Darley stallion, Midshipman. Start Over is a half-sister to multiple Stakes-placed/G1-placed Degree of Risk and hails from the family of multiple Graded Stakes and G1 winners Awesome Humor (G1 Spinaway), Emcee (G1 Forego) and Constitution (G1 Florida Derby).
New York Thunder is one of seven Black Type winners in 2023 for his sire Nyquist, a list that also includes juvenile filly Crimson Advocate, winner of the G2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, as well as multiple Stakes winners Johannes and Flying Connection, and Stakes winners Hacking It Up and Xigera.
