Juvenile dazzles in Upper New York Grade I

Crypto Flow survived strong early fractions to chase down Dragon Breath en route to a dazzling one-and-three-quarter length victory in Upper New York’s Nexis Masterab Lad Stakes, a $500,000 Grade I for juvenile colts.

Dragon Breath set a sizzling early pace for the first three-and-a-half furlongs, with Woette’s Power in pursuit.  When the front-runner wilted, Crypto Flow, stalking in fourth, steadily advanced for the next furlong, and eventually drew clear from the field.  The final time was 1:23 2/5 over the fast but fair surface, good enough to earn the winner a speed figure of 91.

Fappaburst made a belated late charge in the stretch to get up for second, holding off the late kick of Heaven’s Door, who was third.  Slew Gulch picked up a check with a fourth-place finish, while early stalker Woette’s Power faded to fifth.  Dragon Power faded quickly to sixth.

The victory, Crypto Flow‘s third in four starts, was worth $300,000 to the kyclocker stable, which now looks to a wide slate of graded juvenile races in September to prep for a Breeders Bowl start.  With the win, this son of Cryptoclearance from a Carson City mare is now ranked second in the juvenile colt dirt sprint division, and third in the classic division.