Only Four to Kickoff Week Three

Real Writing on Racing 💯

Sunday was another gorgeous day in upstate New York which has been the case for much of the meet other than the sad days that the rains come. Seemed like a large crowd, though the official count was 23,401 and the stands weren’t as full as the picnic area. Still it was a nice day to be at the races even if Linda Rice crushed my dreams of early pick 5 glory ☹️.

🏇🏻The opener went to Hard to Justify, a 2 yo firster by…who else…Justify. Trained by Chad Brown with Flavian Prat aboard, the close second choice at 3-1 overcame a less than ideal trip to get up late, nailing fellow firster Appellate right at the wire. Favored Clement firster Makia had an eventful trip after lunging at the start and deserves another look at hopefully a little better price.

🏅Gotham Stakes runner-up Slip Mahoney stalked the pace of Ellis Park shipper Top Secret, disposed of him turning for home, appeared briefly vulnerable before switching leads late and drawing away to take down the second, an entry level allowance race going one mile for Brad Cox, Luis Saez and owner Al Gold. Gelded since his last start, a lackluster 4th in the Long Branch at Monmouth, Slip Mahoney looks like he might be an emerging middle distance type that can make some noise this fall and beyond as this was a pretty good group for the level.

Slip Mahoney on his way to the paddock

💸 The third went to the aforementioned Linda Rice as Howdyoumakeurmoney showed how she makes hers. Rallying under Jose Lezcano, the 4yo Freud filly got up in the final jump to nail Fontanafredda (and my tickets) to take down the second level NY bred filly allowance going 5.5 on the grass. Favored Blame it on Mary broke down on the lead going down the backside and unfortunately had to be put down back at the barn.

🪺 The rare 4th race feature pitted two of the best female performers of 2022 against each other, Nest and Clairiere, in the frustratingly short Shuvee (Gr II). With only four lined up in the Shuvee for the second consecutive year, last years three year old filly champ Nest versus Clairiere was sort of like a match race within a race as the two others were thankfully entered but overmatched. Just like most actual match races, this race was decided because one of the rivals has more natural speed than the other and Irad Ortiz on Nest used that tactical advantage to get the jump on Clairere and honestly there really wasn’t anything that Joel Rosario could do to counter it. It was a good performance for both, though as always… ‘to the victors go the spoils’. Hopefully Secret Oath rejoins the party later in the meet in the Personal Ensign (Gr I) and brings a few friends along to help get at least a half dozen in the starting gate.

Nest got the best of Clairiere this time

💰The sixth was a MSW for 2yo fillies going 6 furlongs and Sam’s Treasure just galloped home an easy winner for Wesley Ward and John Velazquez, subbing for Jose Ortiz who took another day off to recover from his fall on Friday. The Munnings filly was making her second start after finishing second in her debut at Belmont going 5f on the grass. She looked much better on the main track as she took over going to the half mile pole and won professionally by close to six lengths in 1:11.22. Camera, a first time starter by Curlin that cost $1,050,000 last summer across the street at Fasig Tipton, got pounded at the windows, going off 3-5 after showing several bullet works for Pletcher/Irad. She did very little running after stumbling at the start…she won’t be 3-5 next time.

Candy Lover awaits her jockey prior to the 6th race Sunday

🚀 The Haskell Stakes (Gr I) Saturday turned out to be a coming out party for Geaux Rocket Ride rather than a coronation for Arabian Knight. The two talented west coast colts had less than smooth sailing earlier this spring as they both abruptly veered off the road to the Kentucky Derby. For Geaux Rocket Ride it may have been a blessing in disguise as the lightly raced colt (Haskell was just his 4th start) was being asked to do an awfully lot in a short time to even make it to the Derby. Sickness prevented him from running in the Santa Anita Derby, depriving the Candy Ride colt the chance to earn eligibility points for the big dance. His trainer Richard Mandella has been making the right calls for decades now and he regrouped with the colt, changing focus to the Haskell, displaying patience in the face of the hype of the Triple Crown season. It paid off as he had Geaux Rocket Ride primed and under an excellent Mike Smith steer, the three year old colt announced that he is back and he is going to be part of the A list grouping of this bizarre three year old season. Arabian Knight was thought to be the ace of Bob Baffert’s always deep hand and when he crushed the Southwest (Gr III) field in late January he was firmly at the head of the Derby trail class. However rumors of him having issues turned out to be true and his name wasn’t among the horses transferred to other trainers to beat the Churchill Downs imposed Derby points deadline and the racing world sorta forgot about him. However in June when his work tab started to pick up, the Haskell started to smell like the place he’d make his re-introduction to the three year old division. Baffert has had monumental success shipping to East for New Jersey’s biggest race and surely that played a role in his getting buried in the mutuel pools Saturday. Nobody was expecting Jorge Delgado to enter Awesome Strong in the race and while he found success sweeping the Florida Stallion series last fall at Gulfstream Park, his only race this year was a dull effort at Delaware where he finished 5th of 6 last month. Why we are talking about him is that he was ridden from the gate like a rabbit by Jose Bautista, clearly pressing Arabian Knight and forcing Johnny Velazquez to steer wide to try to get the big colt to settle. Heading down the backside Arabian Knight and Velazquez moved to the lead under light restraint but Bautista on Awesome Strong wasn’t done and he pressed once again from the inside to reengage the favorite. It was essentially the way you’d ride a rabbit but Delgado didn’t have another horse in the race, nor was he on the lead in his only other two turn race so the tactics seem a bit bizarre. They did manage to soften up Arabian Knight some and when the winner and then Derby winner Mage moved to challenge him, he didn’t have much of a response. He did gamely hold onto to third place money so it wasn’t a bad effort, it just wasn’t the superhorse performance that many thought was coming. The lesson to be learned is that if you are a wealthy owner and you have a top notch stakes horse who happens to be a little light in the early speed department, it’s not wrong to run a rabbit at them, in fact it’s a perfectly acceptable tactic especially in this short field era. Mage ran a bang-up race and while he didn’t win, his connections seemed satisfied that their plan focusing on capturing the Travers is still very much on track. Having just three solid works since the Preakness (one was so slow it doesn’t hardly count), Mage understandably may have come up a tad bit short but still showed that he is a huge contender in any three year race he is entered in and we know he can handle the 10 furlongs. I didn’t understand the Extra Anejo love that was being spread all over in the lead up to the race as he has always felt like a middle distance, one turn type to me and his fair try in the Haskell didn’t change my view. We were not bullish on Tapit Trice in our latest 3 yo division list (horses with gate issues that have to be ridden every step usually have shorter shelf lives at the top than normal horses ) and he ran a dull race with little closing punch. Brad Cox has to figure out how to harness Salute the Stars over-aggressiveness as his rank behavior isn’t going to allow him to fulfill his potential unless he settles just a little bit.

🌟 Alan Porter examines the pedigree of Haskell winner Geaux Rocket Ride here.

⭐️ A nice story on rookie trainer Melanie Giddings who has a star in her barn in Maple Leaf Mel

🙄 Dan Ross of the TDN asks The Stronach Group sensible questions on a daily basis about the Northern California mess that they set off last Sunday…but will they ever answer any? Check it out here.

⁉️ Andy Beyer writes in the DRF about an unbelievable Beyer speed figure earned by an unlikely horse! Check it out here.

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Honorable Miss (Gr II) $200,000 3&up F/M 6 furlongs

1. Echo Zulu - draws the rail and that may force the hand of Geroux who doesn’t wanna get stuck inside and behind Frank’s Rockette. She is fast, game and loves the track…a huge threat to go wire to wire at a ‘not so huge’ price.

2. Frank’s Rockette - has reeled off three in a row after a clunker in the FM BC Sprint back in November. Alvarado has to straddle the line between pressing Echo Zulu as not to allow her to get comfortable on the lead and using too much energy chasing her so that she can hold off the late closers. Respect her ability, she has had an excellent career and Mott is Mott but I’m thinking she may get used up a little too much early in this spot.

3. Maryquitecontrary - classy mare always runs her race though the cut back to six furlongs is her first try at the distance. She was pace compromised in the Madison (Gr I) at Keeneland last out and really needs Frank’s Rockette to heat Echo Zulu to give her realistic fractions to close into. The rare Saratoga Luca sighting for Shug who has been relatively quiet this Spa season.

4. Dr B - the NYRA racing office has to be very thankful for Butch Reid this season as he keeps entering longshots in graded stakes, allowing the field to be four. This mare is not bad though, she is a grade III winner who almost always runs well (18-5-6-2). Irad is likely to have her three wide stalking the inside duo, hoping they duel themselves into defeat and trying to hold Maryquitecontrary off in deep stretch. It’s not extremely likely that scenario will play out but it’s not impossible either.

The 2015 Honorable Miss which may look like this years version