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Stratum colt Va Pensiero joined fellow Inglis graduates Snitzerland and Foxwedge as recent winners of the Group 3 ATC San Domenico Stakes when dashing away with the three-year-old feature in Sydney on Saturday.
Va Pensiero (P$35,000 2012 Classic, 3c Stratum-Rosmarino was given the ride of the race by Tim Clark, who parked the youngster on the outside of the leader before striking the front at the top of the Rosehill straight and holding off the late finishes of placegetters Cluster and Windjammer.
"He’s been thereabouts before and been a bit unlucky, but it all fell into place for him today," said trainer Jason Coyle.
"His trackwork had been good and his trials have been great and he showed today how well he’s come back.
"He'll go to the Run To The Rose in two weeks and then we will determine whether he goes to the 1400 (metres) and the Golden Rose," added Coyle.
The Group 3 ATC Run To The Roses (1200m) in on Saturday 31 August and $1 million Group 1 ATC Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) will be run on 14 September.
The connections of Va Pensiero will hope that their galloper can continue the strong record of colts to win the San Domenico then go on to Group 1 success such as Foxwedge, Shellscrape, Duporth, Charge Forward, Testa Rossa and General Nediym.
Today’s winner was bred by Barry Collins, who raced the colt’s dam Rosmarino with fellow part-owners L D Jacobson and G S Banks. Va Pensiero was offered from the draft of Brooklyn Lodge at the 2012 Inglis Sydney Classic Yearling Sale. When the son of Stratum failed to reach his $40,000 reserve the breeders decided to race the colt.
The three-year-old has earned over $160,000 for connections thanks to two wins and a second placing from just six career starts.
Va Pensiero is the 19th stakes winner for Widden Stud’s successful stallion Stratum, which is represented in the catalogue of the inaugural Sydney Ready 2 Race Sale to be held at Newmarket on Thursday 3 October 2013.
