A six-year-old Graydar gelding trained by Ollie Figgins, III for owner Ray Pennington, III, Never Compromise recorded his fourth straight tally July 15 as the 5-2 second choice when he wore down 5-2 favorite What Does It Take for a length score by getting the seven furlongs in 1:25.94 with jockey Fredy Peltroche aboard. It was his sixth win in seven starts since Figgins claimed him for Pennington for $6,250 January 5.

“He’s racing with a lot of confidence right now,” Figgins said. “When we claimed him, I was surprised to see that he still fit the non-winners of one other than allowance. He’s got the starter optional events for another year, I think. He’s a very nice horse and the key with him has just been able to find these starter spots for him. I think Fredy deserves a lot of credit for his success. He really seems to fit him well and he always seems to put him in good position.”

Never Compromise, a winner 15 times in 30 career outings with over $220,000 banked, began his four-race win streak on April 1 when he captured a two-turn starter allowance by a half-length over Golden Appeal in 1:29.07 as the 2-1 second choice. The Graydar gelding had been sixth in his previous outing, against allowance foes, so that victory helped turn his season around.

“That race where he got beat was really tough,” Figgins said. “That’s when I decided to just look for the starter optional races in the book and try to space his races a month apart. I think at some point we’re definitely going to try him in a stakes, probably in one of the [West Virginia] Breeders’ Classics races [on October 14]. But I want him to go into that race a fresh horse with his confidence up.”

CHECK OUT THE LATEST OFF TO THE RACES RADIO!

Seven weeks after the April Fools Day score, Never Compromise notched his second straight tally when he rallied from just off the pace in a two-turn starter optional event for a nearly-two-length score over Golden Appeal as the 3-1 second choice by getting the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:20.11 on May 27.

Four weeks later Never Compromise posted his third straight tally when he drew clear late as the 6-5 favorite over Auburn Mill for a three-length score while getting the seven panels in 1:25.71 on June 24. Until his most recent score, that victory was his best effort of the season.

Never Compromise has already been part of one pretty significant milestone: Arnaldo Bocachica was aboard him when the rider earned the 2,000th win of his career. Soon enough, the horse may get a shot at something significant himself.

Figgins is eyeing a couple of races prior to October for Never Compromise. And then…

“I expect there will be a race in the book for him for August and another one in the book for him for September,” Figgins said. “I can’t see trying him in that [Frank Gall Memorial] stakes in August. That race is going to come up really tough, and I don’t think he’s ready for that just yet. I want to keep him fresh and happy and keep his confidence up and not attempt going into deep waters before the Breeders’ Classics.”