Grade 2 victor SEATTLE FITZ (Arg) (Fitzcarraldo) registered his first winner
as a freshman sire on Saturday when Fitzaslew rolled to a two-length score at
Churchill Downs. The Kenny McPeek juvenile, who was making his career debut in
the 3RD race on Stephen Foster Super Saturday, argued the early pace, opened up
by daylight in the stretch and widened his margin inside the final furlong. With
Robby Albarado aboard, the dark bay colt completed five furlongs in :58 4/5 on
the fast track.
Seattle Fitz first flashed promise in Dubai during the winter of 2002-03,
capturing a pair of allowance races before finishing fifth in the U.A.E. Two
Thousand Guineas (UAE-G3) and sixth in the U.A.E. Derby (UAE-G2).
The West Point Stable colorbearer was then shipped to the United States,
where he would become an important player on the handicap scene. After placing
in the Fayette S. (G3) and Queens County H. (G3), Seattle Fitz broke through
with his first stakes victory in the 2004 Aqueduct H. (G3) and finished second
in the Donn H. (G1). Later that season, the dark bay went on to land the William
Donald Schaefer H. (G3) and Brooklyn H. (G2) in trademark, determined fashion
for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. Seattle Fitz retired with a mark of 21-6-3-2,
$594,371.
Produced by the winning Seattle Slew mare Hug a Slew, Seattle Fitz is a full
brother to Argentinean stakes queen Honey Fitz, who is the dam of current
Argentinean Group 1 hero Honey Nov (Romanov [Ire]). He also counts multiple
Argentinean Group 3 scorer Fantastica Roma (Romanov [Ire]) as a half-brother.
This is the immediate family of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Hollywood
Story (Wild Rush), and the female line traces to Myrtlewood (Blue Larkspur), a
champion and massively influential broodmare.
Seattle Fitz, who sparks hopes of reviving the male line of Swynford in North
America, stands for $6,500, live foal, at Buck Pond Farm near Versailles,
Kentucky.