Searching For Gold Strong Winner for Air Force Blue

Air Force Blue’s Searching For Gold (3g Air Force Blue x Alpha Centauri, by Dynaformer) became the newest winner for his sire on Saturday when he won a Tampa Bay Maiden Special Weight by 2 ½ lengths.

Racing over a mile on the turf, Searching For Gold hesitated when the gate opened but was quickly in stride to race in midpack. The race favorite found himself in a battle for second as they entered the backstretch but his speed quickly put him half a length in front of that rival with Raul Mena keeping him just behind the leader.

Searching For Gold was asked to run around the turn and he made up ground with every stride to take over the lead in the final furlong. Once he was in full flight, there was no stopping him, with the 3-year-old pulling away for owner Team Westview Stables and trainer Derek Ryan.

It was the third top three finish in four starts for the Overbrook Farm-bred chestnut, who is one of three winners out of Alpha Centauri alongside stakes-placed and Grade II fourth Reversethedecision.

Searching For Gold’s dam is also a half-sister to Group II-placed Bodes Galaxy and the dam of Grade III winner and Grade II-placed Country Grammar and stakes-placed Joyful Cadence. This is also the family of Group I winner Etoile Montante and Munnings’ Grade II winning, Grade I-placed Bonny South.

A Champion 2-Year-Old himself, Air Force Blue is the sire of 29 winners worldwide, led by five stakes performers as a leading second crop sire.