by Jeff Apel

Elusive Bluff gained command in deep stretch and remained unbeaten in two career starts with a neck win in the $159,300 Pilgrim Stakes (G3) on Wednesday at Belmont Park.

The Pilgrim win earned Elusive Bluff an automatic starting spot in the $1-million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on October 25 at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series.

Owner Michael Moreno of Southern Equine Stable said the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and the $2-million Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), a 1 1/16-mile race on Santa Anita’s newly installed Pro-Ride surface on October 25, both are possibilities for Elusive Bluff. The Elusive Quality colt will join trainer Eric Guillot’s main string at Santa Anita to begin final preparations for the Breeders’ Cup.

Southern Equine purchased Elusive Bluff privately from Pegasus Dream Stable following a debut win on turf in a one-mile maiden special weight race on September 5 at Belmont. Elusive Bluff previously was trained by William Badgett Jr., who filled in for Guillot and saddled the colt for the Pilgrim.

“He’s always been a pretty nice horse,” Badgett said. “He’s trained well, but then we got a chance to work him on turf and he jumped up and worked really well.”

Elusive Bluff responded to energetic handling from jockey Michael Baze and overtook four foes in the stretch to win the Pilgrim. Racing in fifth in early stretch, more than four lengths behind runner-up Show Me the Cash, Elusive Bluff seized command near the finish and won the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:47.91 on turf rated as yielding.

“He broke nice and he was able to relax and get his feet underneath him,” Baze said. “I was waiting for an opening and, once he got it, he went through and blew by them. He’s a pretty smart horse.”

Show Me the Cash set the pace near the inside and led by one length through a half-mile in :51.20 and six furlongs 1:16.83. Elusive Bluff raced in fourth in a field of six through an opening quarter in :26.06 and dropped back to fifth on the backstretch.

Unleashing a determined late run at the top of the stretch, Elusive Bluff gained command on the outside of Show Me the Cash and gamely prevailed.

Show Me the Cash finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of third-place finisher Relatively Ready.

Elusive Bluff increased his earnings to $127,380. Bred in Kentucky by Eldon Farm Equine, Elusive Bluff is the first winner out of multiple graded stakes winner Megans Bluff, by Pine Bluff.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Jeff Apel is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor