Darling View Thoroughbreds sire Playing God claimed his 9th Stakes winner when God Has Chosen stormed home to land the G3 Belmont Sprint (1400m) on Saturday.
It completed a winning hat-trick for the Lindsey Smith-trained 4yo galloper who was racing at weight-for-age for the first time. He relaxed at the tail of the field on the rails before driving through splits in the straight for Clint Johnston-Porter to reel in Red Can Man and Massimo.
God Has Chosen (pictured) is by Playing God from Celtic Feva (Dr Johnson) and his overall strike-rate improved to 8 wins in 12 starts for prizemoney of $354,930 including Westspeed Bonuses of $11,100. His next test will be the G3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m) on June 11.
“That was extraordinary. What a win,” stable manager Donna Riordan exclaimed. “It was scary watching Clint taking those runs but he had a lot of horse underneath him.
“That was his biggest test but we were confident coming into the race. He keeps improving and looks a bit special.”
God Has Chosen began his career in the Great Southern winning an Albany maiden on Boxing Day 2020 for part-owner and trainer Neil Lee and his brother Warren.
He’s the final foal of their unraced mare Celtic Feva and her bottom-line traces directly to the dam of superstar sprinter Vain (Wilkes).
Warren Lee also bred God Has Chosen’s older half-sister She’s My Passenger (Passenger). Her first foal Beau Talk is an unraced 2yo by former Darling View sire I’m All The Talk. Her latest is a filly by Playing God’s brother God Has Spoken foaled in November.
Playing God (Blackfriars) stands for a $27,500 service fee at Darling View Thoroughbreds alongside recently-retired Snitzel Stakes winner Splintex ($11,000) and Patronize ($4,400).
