Bigger Picture conquers Red Smith Handicap

Three Diamonds Farm’s Bigger Picture grabbed command of Saturday’s Red Smith Handicap (G3) in upper stretch and pulled off a 1 1/4-length victory at Aqueduct with jockey Jose Ortiz in the irons.

Bigger Picture bided his time just off the inside in midpack as I’ll Call led the way in the 1 3/8-mile affair through splits of :25.14, :49.80, 1:15.18 and 1:39.39. Ortiz found the way blocked by the pacesetter entering the stretch and angled Bigger Picture around that runner to be three wide in the lane.

The five-year-old gelding responded and took a short lead while chased by Danish Dynaformer and 3-5 favorite Wake Forest. Bigger Picture inched away from those rivals to be clear on the wire while Danish Dynaformer just stuck his nose in front of Wake Forest for second.

Sent off the 9-1 fourth choice in the 11-horse field, Bigger Picture paid $21.40 for stopping the clock in 2:15.46 over the firm turf. Arties Silver Mine filled the fourth spot another 2 1/2 lengths behind Wake Forest. Up With the Birds, Messi, I’ll Call, Tale of Fancy, Biz the Nurse, Smooth Daddy and Rum Tum Tugger completed the order of finish.

Bigger Picture ended up with Three Diamonds Farm and trainer Mike Maker after being claimed out of a November 7, 2015, contest at Aqueduct. He captured his subsequent pair of starts when kicking off his 2016 campaigne and was then tossed to the wolves when trying the United Nations Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park on July 3.

The Badge of Silver chestnut ran in eighth that day but revisited the winner’s circle after returning to optional claiming company at Saratoga on August 12. Bigger Picture just missed by three parts of a length when fourth in the September 8 Old Friends Stakes at Kentucky Downs and improved even more to rally for a close nose second in the Sycamore Stakes (G3) at Keeneland last out on October 20.

Bigger Picture has banked $464,735 in lifetime earnings and now boasts an 8-4-1 career mark from 20 starts.

Bred in Kentucky by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Bigger Picture is out of the Honour and Glory mare Glory Dancer, making him a half-brother to Grade 1-placed stakes winner Gung Ho and stakes runner-up Kitten’s Dancer. His second dam is Grade 2 heroine Dancing All Night, who is a full sister to 1989 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) victor and millionaire Dancing Spree.

Bigger Picture’s third dam is Blitey, from whom is descended champion Heavenly Prize and multiple Grade 1 winners Fantastic Find, Finder’s Fee and Furlough, just to name a few.

Bigger Picture photo courtesy of NYRA/Chelsea Durand/Adam Coglianese Photography