Vinery Stables’ Efficient Edge launched his winning bid with a quarter-mile to run, led by one length in early stretch, and drew off to a 5 ¼-length score in the first race on Sunday at Churchill Downs to become the first winner for Grade 1 winner and freshman sire The Cliff’s Edge.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Efficient Edge covered the five-furlong maiden claiming race in 1:00.01 under Shaun Bridgmohan. He is out of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Efficient Frontier, by Mt. Livermore, a half sister to Grade 2 winner Navesink.

The Cliff’s Edge, a seven-year-old by Gulch out of the Danzig mare Zigember, stands for $10,000 at Vinery in Lexington. He has 71 two-year-olds in his first crop.

The Cliff’s Edge won four of 13 career starts and earned $1,265,258 for owner Robert LaPenta. He finished on the board 11 times and won three graded stakes, including the 2004 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Race Course before finishing fifth to Smarty Jones in the Kentucky Derby (G1). In three subsequent starts, he finished second in the Dwyer (G2), Jim Dandy (G2), and Travers (G1) Stakes prior to suffering a condylar fracture of the right front ankle during a third-place finish to Funny Cide in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1).
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)