Just like pulling a picture card with an '11' showing in blackjack, Double Down Horse Racing's It's Our Time (c, 2, Not This Time–Shea D Summer, by Summer Front) made the perfect start to his career in the seventh race from Saratoga on Saturday, taking over from the hot 3-4 favorite Hero Declared (Maclean's Music) at the head of the lane before rocketing home to graduate by an eye-watering 17 3/4 lengths as a 5-1 chance...

Just like pulling a picture card with an '11' showing in blackjack, Double Down Horse Racing's It's Our Time (c, 2, Not This Time–Shea D Summer, by Summer Front) made the perfect start to his career in the seventh race from Saratoga on Saturday, taking over from the hot 3-4 favorite Hero Declared (Maclean's Music) at the head of the lane before rocketing home to graduate by an eye-watering 17 3/4 lengths as a 5-1 chance. For his efforts, he becomes a no-brainer 'TDN Rising Star', the sixth for his boom stallion over the last five-plus weeks. A $425,000 Keeneland September acquisition, the Virginia-bred broke alertly and actually led for the first few yards, but was outfooted by Hero Declared, who fetched $575,000 at this year's OBS March Sale and showed the way through a strong opening couple of furlongs in :21.99. The chalk was going along comfortably enough on the engine, but so, too, was It's Our Time, who raced just to his outside and strode into the lead as if Hero Declared was running in place, with the teletimer reading :44.78 for the opening half-mile. Despite cornering a touch wide off the second corner, it was simply a question of 'how far' from there, as It's Our Time looked to take two strides for the competition's one, opening with every yard while covering the 6 1/2 furlongs in a very slick 1:15.63. Hero Declared just lasted for second, with $975,000 Keeneland September grad Renegade–an Into Mischief son of one-time 'Rising Star' Spice Is Nice (Curlin)–third. Shea D Summer was a stakes winner at two and added victories at three in the Game Face Stakes and Azalea Stakes, then sold to East Hickmon Stable for $65,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November Sale. Put in foal to the promising Not This Time, the mare was sold on to Amy Moore for $260,000 at KEENOV in the fall of 2022. The mare's Virginia-bred yearling filly by Bolt d'Oro is catalogued as hip 1722 through Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, as agent for Moore's South Gate Farm at next month's Keeneland September Sale. The mare's 2025 produce is another Virginia-bred filly by champion Forte (Violence), himself bred by South Gate Farm, and Shea D Summer most recently visited Muth.