Burning Ambition Romps in Indiana Grand Stakes

For the second straight year, Uncle Mo was the sire of the Listed Indiana Grand Stakes winner with Burning Ambition (3f Uncle Mo x Do You Remember, by Silvano) following Hendy Woods’ victory in the 2020 edition.

The one-mile turf race saw bettors send Burning Ambition off as the race favorite and she lived up to the billing.

Breaking well, Burning Ambition settled two paths off the rail just behind the first two in the field. As they raced around the turn, Burning Ambition moved up to the second place runner then stuck her head in front as the leader kept a little over a length lead on the field.

That margin disappeared as the leader started to fade turning into the last turn and Burning Ambition pounced. Jockey Fernando De La Cruz just had to throw the reins at his mount a few times to convince her it was time to impress and Burning Ambition didn’t wait long to show off.

By the time they turned into the stretch, she had a lead and from there easily extended to win by seven lengths.

It was the fourth win in five starts for the Michael De Broglio homebred, who is trained by Brad Cox and has won her last four consecutive races.

Burning Ambition is the first foal out of the South African Group I winner and Australian Group II-placed Do You Remember. That mare is a half-sister to Group III winner and Group I-placed Made To Conquer with the pair out of South African champion Festive Occasion.

Do You Remember has a 2-year-old American Pharoah colt named Aftertheconquest, who just breezed a bullet at Turfway on Sunday.

The win in this race proved to be a major stepping stone for Hendy Woods last year, with the filly going on to place in the Grade II Edgewood Stakes next out. Second in a stakes race in August, she is entered at Kentucky Downs in the One Dreamer Stakes on Thursday.