Built sets NTR at Fair Grounds, earns 106 Beyer
Making his third start off the layoff on March 13, Built not only proved that he has rounded into career form, but also signaled that he may be living up to the promise he showed early last year as a 3-year-old on the Derby trail.
The talented Hard Spun colt scored one of the best Allowance wins likely to be seen in 2026, stopping the clock in a blazing 1:07.96 to lower the six-furlong track record and become the first horse ever to break the 1:08 barrier at Fair Grounds. When a horse can establish a new track record at the oldest active Thoroughbred racetrack in North America, it has truly done something historic—and Built did just that. Making it even more impressive, the six-furlong distance represents the highest volume of races run at the venerable oval, which has been in operation since 1837.
The first thing that is typically done to bring further context after these rare, eye-catching performances is to review the various speed figures, which in this case were tremendously validating of Built’s effort:
- 106 Beyer — the third-fastest recorded to date in 2026 (fastest at Fair Grounds)
- 4¼ Ragozin — only two stakes winners in North America in 2026 have run (slightly) faster
Trained by Wayne “Cat Man” Catalano, Built has come out of the race in good order and has given us plenty of optimism—and options—heading into the heart of the spring racing calendar. As always, we will let Built tell us when and where he will run next, but it’s hard not to get excited about the possibilities ahead, which could include premier races on major race days in Kentucky this spring.
Regardless of what’s next, it’s great to have the real Built back after time away that has clearly done him well.