A standout colt at the OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale this past spring, Signator asserted himself with style Friday, drawing off to a maiden win at Belmont at the Big A.
The gray son of Tapit bounded through an opening along the rail and quickly put the race away to win by 4 1/4 lengths and complete the mile in 1:37.89. He was bet down to 3/5 favoritism off a second-place finish going six furlongs in his debut on September 16.
“The way he finished was very impressive and I liked the way he galloped out,” said Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano.
Another Hall of Famer, Shug McGaughey, trains Signator for West Point, Woodford Racing, Lane’s End Racing, Gainesway Stable, Phipps Stable, Ken Langone and Edward Hudson Jr. Shug trained much of the colt’s female family for the Phipps, including Grade 1-winning siblings Furlough, Dancing Spree and Fantastic Find.
Signator earned Rising Star status from the Thoroughbred Daily News.