Background (USA)
About
Background is an 8yo ch from the United States trained by Steven M. Asmussen. He is sired by Khozan out of the dam Ephyra. So far, Background has recorded four wins in his career. On August 16, 2021, at Emerald Downs, he captured his most important victory, taking the $100,000 Longacres Mile Handicap.
Race Record
| Event Summary | Runner Stats | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Keeneland 13-Oct-25 1410m FIRM R8 Race 8 $5,100 (of $51,000) Barrier 5, Winning Time: 01:24.850, SP: 10.00 tracked in the two path, pursued in the three path into upper stretch, stayed on between horses in the final furlong and edged show late. | K J Asmussen 54.9kg 3.50L | 3 (9) |
| Churchill Downs 15-Sep-25 1710m R6 Race 6 $834 (of $64,000) Barrier 1, Winning Time: 01:44.220, SP: 13.00 raced off of the pace along the inside, lacked a response to urging around the far turn and made little impact. | K Asmussen 55.3kg 18.75L | 6 (7) |
| Ellis Park 17-Aug-25 1810m R8 Race 8 $444 (of $46,250) Barrier 1, Winning Time: 01:50.810, SP: 15.00 was hustled to vie for the lead with an outer rival around the first turn, but faded at the five sixteenths pole and weakened between horses turning for home. | K Asmussen 55.3kg 11.55L | 8 (8) |
| Horseshoe Indianapolis 13-Aug-25 1670m SOFT R5 Race 5 $360 (of $49,680) Barrier 8, Winning Time: 01:40.550, SP: 15.00 was not a factor. | E Asmussen 55.3kg 16.35L | 8 (8) |
| Oaklawn Park 09-Mar-25 1710m FIRM R7 Race 7 $517 (of $62,000) Barrier 7, Winning Time: 01:45.190, SP: 26.00 in mid pack while racing off the rail, three wide through the second turn, lacked the needed response in the drive. | K Asmussen 54.9kg 8.25L | 5 (10) |
| Oaklawn Park 09-Feb-25 1710m FIRM R1 Race 1 $1,700 (of $68,000) Barrier 6, Winning Time: 01:44.060, SP: 7.00 hesitated at the start to be away slowly, trailed just off the inside, was never a threat. | K Asmussen 54kg 12.25L | 6 (6) |
| Churchill Downs 29-Nov-24 1610m FIRM R3 Race 3 $7,501 (of $75,001) Barrier 5, Winning Time: 01:36.720, SP: 15.00 vied three wide and between horses, chased an outer counterpart into upper stretch, tipped out to the five path while sustaining stride into the final furlong, rebid for place at the wire but missed. | K Asmussen 54.9kg 4.85L | 3 (6) |
| Churchill Downs 21-Nov-24 1410m FIRM R2 Race 2 $39,060 (of $62,000) Barrier 3, Winning Time: 01:22.980, SP: 5.50 took contact from an outer rival at the start, set the pace inside of a prompting rival, vied with that one around the turn, got headed in upper stretch, took a brush in midstretch yet battled gamely to sustain the long duel through the final furlong and narrowly prevailed. | L Machado 54.4kg | 1 (4) |
| Keeneland 14-Oct-24 1210m FIRM R9 Race 9 $612 (of $73,001) Barrier 9, Winning Time: 01:11.070 bumped an inner rival at the start while last away, trailed along the inside and got outrun. | K J Asmussen 54.9kg 25.75L | 7 (7) |
| Churchill Downs 22-Sep-24 1410m FIRM R3 Race 3 $12,400 (of $62,000) Barrier 8, Winning Time: 01:23.040 4,5-w, closed strongly | R Bowen 55.3kg 0.75L | 2 (7) |
| Ellis Park 19-Aug-24 1610m FIRM R5 Race 5 $2,800 (of $40,001) Barrier 6, Winning Time: 01:38.020 tracked the pace early on, was in the three path into the lane and faded late in the stretch drive. | F Arrieta 55.8kg 13.00L | 4 (6) |
| Churchill Downs 20-Jun-24 1710m FIRM R5 Race 5 $2,340 (of $77,999) Barrier 2, Winning Time: 01:43.780 set the pace in the two path, vied with a pair of outer bidders while getting headed turning for home, fought on through midstretch as an inner challenger joined the fray, but yielded when put to tight quarters between foes at the sixteenth pole and lost fourth late. | F Arrieta 53.5kg 1.75L | 5 (8) |
| Churchill Downs 19-May-24 1810m FIRM R8 Race 8 $2,340 (of $77,999) Barrier 4, Winning Time: 01:51.020 showed the way along the inside, vied with an outer presser around the far turn, got headed at the five sixteenths pole and faded. | C A Torres 53.5kg 8.25L | 5 (7) |
| Churchill Downs 04-May-24 1610m FIRM R3 Race 3 $1,305 (of $133,999) Barrier 13, Winning Time: 01:35.020 vied for the lead early on three wide, pressed the leader from the seven path along the backstretch, raced in the three path in the turn, shifted into the five path entering the lane and faded late in the stretch. | R Bowen 55.3kg 14.50L | 6 (12) |
| Ellis Park 15-Jul-23 1810m FIRM (of $34,375), Winning Time: 01:50.690, SP: 17/5 Ins spd,just up,outsid | J Talamo 55.3kg | 1 (5) |
| Churchill Downs 04-Jun-23 1610m FIRM (of $53,658), Winning Time: 01:35.960, SP: 13/2 3w,bid,duel,hung,outkk | J R Leparoux 53.5kg 1.25L | 3 (8) |
| Churchill Downs 06-May-23 1610m GOOD R3 CL (of $134,000) Barrier 5, Winning Time: 01:35.070 was never a threat. | J R Leparoux 55.3kg 19.90L | 11 (12) |
| Keeneland 24-Apr-23 1710m FIRM R4 Race 4 $7,800 (of $78,000) Barrier 1, Winning Time: 01:46.540 set the pace inside of a pressing rival while a bit off of the rail, rode the fence while sparring with that foe around the far turn, gamely clung to an advantage through midstretch, but was outkicked by the eventual winner in the final sixteenth, and got nailed at the wire for place. | J R Leparoux 53.5kg 0.85L | 3 (6) |
| Keeneland 23-Apr-23 1710m FIRM (of $38,230), Winning Time: 01:46.540, SP: 7/5 Ins,dueld,outkckd late | J R Leparoux 53.5kg 0.75L | 3 (6) |
| Oaklawn Park 18-Mar-23 1710m FIRM (of $63,600), Winning Time: 01:43.440, SP: 21.00 Lacked closing kick | R Bowen 53.5kg, Cd 0 13.25L | 6 (7) |
| Oaklawn Park 11-Feb-23 1610m FIRM (of $64,200), Winning Time: 01:38.070, SP: 11.00 Pace inside faltered | R Bowen 53.1kg, Cd 0 8.25L | 6 (8) |
| Oaklawn Park 21-Jan-23 1710m FIRM CL (of $57,067), Winning Time: 01:44.960, SP: 11.00 Soft pace, weakened | R Bowen 54kg, Cd 0 2.00L | 4 (7) |
| Emerald Downs 15-Aug-22 1610m FIRM CL (of $73,333), Winning Time: 01:34.460, SP: 5.25 4w 3/16,flattened out | G Franco 56.2kg, Cd 0 2.75L | 5 (12) |
| Churchill Downs 25-Jun-22 1710m FIRM CL (of $75,826), Winning Time: 01:42.990, SP: 21.00 Pace, 2p upr, gave way | G Franco 56.2kg, Cd 0 13.75L | 5 (6) |
| Emerald Downs 16-Aug-21 1610m R8 Longacres Mile Handicap (Stakes) $63,000 (of $100,000) Barrier 7, Winning Time: 01:36.670 | R Bowen 54.9kg | 1 (11) |
| Horseshoe Indianapolis 09-Jul-20 1810m R11 Indiana Derby (Stakes) (of $300,000) Barrier 6, Winning Time: 01:49.460 | T Baze 53.5kg 12.50L | 8 (9) |
| Churchill Downs 15-Jun-20 1310m R9 Race 9 (of $81,000) Barrier 9, Winning Time: 01:16.640 failed to get involved after taking the turn in the three path. | T Baze 53.5kg 9.35L | 9 (11) |
| Oaklawn Park 03-May-20 1710m R10 Race 10 $6,100 (of $61,000) Barrier 12, Winning Time: 01:42.890 forwardly placed while in the three path, challenged three wide in the second turn, could not keep up with the winner in the drive nor could he contain the runner up, comfortably save the show. | T Baze 54kg | 3 (12) |
| Oaklawn Park 15-Mar-20 1710m R6 Race 6 $9,000 (of $90,000) Barrier 8 | T Baze 55.3kg | 3 (4) |
| Oaklawn Park 18-Feb-20 1710m R10 Race 10 $53,550 (of $85,000) Barrier 5 | T Baze 55.3kg | 1 (4) |
| Oaklawn Park 26-Jan-20 1210m R6 Race 6 $8,500 (of $85,000) Barrier 9 | T Baze 54.4kg | 3 (4) |