From Whitehouse Equine
AUBURN, Wash. (June 21, 2021) — California sire Finnegan’s Wake sired his first winner June 9 at Emerald Downs when his son Club Champ easily captured a maiden claiming sprint by 3 1/4 lengths.
Bred in California by Rockingham Ranch out of the Big Drama daughter Miss Big Stuff, Club Champ now has a win and three seconds out of eight career starts. This is the mare’s first foal. She has a 2-year-old full brother in training at Golden Gate Fields.
Club Champ pressed the pace and drew off well in hand at the 3/8 pole, winning with plenty left in reserve under jockey Javier Matias’ guidance.
Owner Eli Diamant claimed Club Champ at Turf Paradise for $7,500 in late March, The victory also marked Diamant’s first win of the 2021 racing year.
Finnegan’s Wake is a grade 1 winner by Powerscourt (GB) out of the Silver Ghost winner Boat’s Ghost. He won or placed in 12 black-type stakes, with victories in the 2016 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (G1), 2015 Hollywood Turf Cup (G2), 2015 San Gabriel Stakes(G2), San Marcos Stakes (G2) and the Arlington Handicap (G3). He was also runner-up in the Secretariat Stakes (G1), Bowling Green Handicap (G2), John Henry Turf Championship (G2) and the San Luis Rey Stakes (G2). He placed third in the 2012 Virginia Derby (G2) and 2012 Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct. He retired after a 6 year racing career in which he competed in 31 stakes races and earned $1,594.665.
Finnegan’s Wake stands at Whitehouse Equine in Stockton, Calif. for $2,500.