Double Crown came from off the pace to pull the upset in the Polynesian Stakes on Sunday, Sept. 10 at Pimlico, winning by four and a half lengths at 6-1.

The Polynesian was the fourth start in the past 28 days for the 6-year-old gelding. He won a third-level allowance at Laurel Park on Aug. 13, then finished unplaced in his next two starts, the Charles Town Classic-G2 and Monmouth’s Red Bank Stakes, the latter on the turf. He was sent off as the longest shot in the five-horse Polynesian field.

Breaking from the inside post, Double Crown began alertly and was unhurried early by Jeiron Barbosa. Ournationonparade made his way to the rail and the lead, while Zabracadabra and Un Ojo pressed him on the outside through slow early fractions. As they raced past the first half-mile in :49.59, Barbosa, perhaps sensing the pedestrian pace, moved his mount closer to the early leaders. He remained two lengths off the leaders through three-quarters in 1:13.59.

As they hit the quarter pole, Ournationonparade began to fade, and Zabracadabra and Un Ojo, perhaps done in by their wide early trips, had little punch. Meanwhile, Double Crown still had plenty of late run, and when Barbosa asked him to move up the inside, the gelding responded in kind. He pulled away late and beat them easily, covering the mile and a sixteenth over a good dirt track in 1:45.09.

The Polynesian was Double Crown’s fourth career stakes victory, following wins in the 2020 Roar Stakes and Carry Back Stakes at Gulfstream Park and the Kelso Handicap-G2 at last year’s Belmont At The Big A meet. His career record stands at 8-9-4 from 39 starts with earnings of $738,520.

Double Crown is owned by Built Wright Stables LLC and trained by Raymond Ginter Jr. Built Wright, the nom de course of Lynn and Lola Cash, claimed Double Crown for $40,000 at Churchill Downs in June 2022, and has since won four races with him in 23 starts and more than $470,000.

Double Crown was bred by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman and Rebecca Davis. He’s by Anchor & Hope Farm stallion Bourbon Courage out of the winning Two Punch mare Two Columbus. From six foals of racing age, Two Columbus has produced five starters and three winners, with Double Crown her lone stakes winner to date. Her 2021 foal, the gelding Rapid Punch (by Madefromlucky), sold for $50,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall yearling sale last year and is yet unraced, but has worked four times at Monmouth Park in the last month. the mare’s most recent foal is a weanling colt by Divining Rod, foaled April 2. She was bred to Frosted for 2024.