Round Three of Nest vs Secret Oath

Real Writing on Racing 💯

🎪 Yesterday was another Saratoga Chamber of Commerce weather day though this afternoon’s forecast calls for highs in the low 90’s which shows that Summer isn’t ready to concede to Fall just yet.

🏆 A rare trip to the Spa for trainer John Servis led to the even more rare winning day for yours truly when his trainee, Leader of the Band, wore down the early leaders to score a minor upset at 6-1, in the Summer Colony in yesterday’s 8th. The four year old PA bred filly by Bandbox, was coming off of a good second to top filly, Search Results, in the Molly Pitcher (Gr III) at Monmouth and originally was supposed to be ridden by the ailing Joel Rosario, who called in sick and was off all his mounts yesterday. With Saratoga’s all-time leading jockey, Johnny Velazquez deputizing for Rosario, the Leader of the Band broke from the starting gate alertly, after having had the unusual process of being backed into that gate from the front as opposed to being loaded normally from the rear. Velazquez set up shop right behind the early leaders, Envoutante and First to Act when expected pacesetter Misty Veil didn’t show her customary speed from the gate. Those two set a solid but sensible pace down the backside with Leader of the Band being joined by Army Wife from the inside in pursuit. Going around the far turn, First to Act went after Envoutante and Velazquez drifted three wide to set up Leader of the Band’s late run with deep closer Bonny South and Flavian Prat moving four wide, trying to keep them pinned in. As the field straightened away down the stretch, First to Act finally wore down Envoutante, gaining a short lead as Leader of the Band commenced her run, getting clear of Bonny South who was unable to match strides with her past the quarter pole. The two fillies slugged it out down the lane with Leader of the Band finally getting the best of her less experienced rival the last 75 yards, earning owner SMD Ltd their first Saratoga stakes win and John Servis his first Spa win in 22 years. (2000 Jostle in the Alabama).

3️⃣ wins till Johnny V’s 1000th Saratoga winner

🎪 Yesterday’s first race (for the second consecutive day) 😳

🎪 At the top of the stretch in the second, Diamond Status looked like she was going to be another wire to wire grass winner as the Carlos Martin trained daughter of Midshipman cut the corner with a two length lead under Jose Ortiz. Miss Bonnie T wasn’t having it though and she rallied strongly down the center of the course to overtake Diamond Status and break her maiden in start number 14. The four year old Animal Kingdom filly trained by Phil Antonacci, was taken back much further early in the race than her usual stalking style by Flavian Prat. The change in tactics did the trick as she finished very well and made the claim for $75000 two races back look like a good decision. Diamond Status held well to finish second and 3/2 favorite Beachfront Bid encountered some traffic and escaped late to grab third.

🎪 The days third was a solid NW2x allowance/opt 62500 race going 9 furlongs on the main track. The Reds was buried in the double and pick 3’s and eventually got bet down to even money after running second last out to Stage Raider in the same class. Under Junior Alvarado, the Tonalist colt stalked the ordinary pace set by Shooger Ray Too, eventually wore down that rival in deep stretch and held safe to the wire.

🦆 Mark Hennig got himself off the duck when Top of the Mint surged past the early leaders and drew off to a 5 length victory in the conditioned $25000 claiming race going 7 furlongs on the main track. The winner was ridden by Velazquez who won three on the day. Joey Loose Lips, who went off as the post time favorite, broke through the gate pre-race dumping Kendrick Carmouche before quickly being wrangled back in, finished last. Carmouche had a rough day as he was also dumped before the fourth when his mount Logan’s Runner, reared and ran off after getting loose behind the gate.

🎪 Let’s Go Big Blue, a two year old Cairo Prince NYB gelding making his first start for George Weaver and owner former Giant’s head coach Bill Parcells, survived an inquiry after sweeping by the field in the 6th, a NYB 2yo MSW going 8.5 furlongs on the inner turf. Tab Barry the Builder for when he runs back at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet.

🏆 Oxymore and jockey Jose Ortiz captured the $150,000 Skidmore for 2 year olds going 5.5 furlongs on the grass. Making his first start for leading trainer Chad Brown off the private purchase, the Astern (Aus) gelding pressed the pace outside runner up No Nay Hudson from the outset, eventually wearing him down to record the 1 1/4 length victory. The $500000 Nownownow stakes at Monmouth may be next for Oxymore according to post race reports.

🍽 I was fortunate enough to have been invited to lunch in the Founders Room at the Club 1863 yesterday. I can report that it’s a nice spot and the food was good however the Going In Circle’s media conglomerate will probably not be springing for the required 40k for a table for next years meet. More likely, for the price of a six pack of some strange sounding IPA, we will be partnering with the Beer family for a backyard picnic table in their traditional, under the trees location.

Day 28 (12 more days to go)

Alabama Grade I $1,000,000 10 furlongs 3 yo fillies

1. Skratch Kat - last was her best (TG 6) and Bauer has been en fuego this meet but it’s a big ask to stretch out from 8.5 furlongs to 10 AND have to face Nest and Secret Oath.

2. Goddess of Fire - Pletcher second teamer closed well to just miss in Wilson Chute’s debut at a mile in the opening day Wilton. Adds blinkers but has yet to show that she is in the same league as the top fillies.

3. Gerrymander - ran well winning the short field Mother Goose (Gr II) and runner up in that spot, Shahama returned to win the Monmouth Oaks. Still faces tough task stretching out to 1 1/4 against the very best of the three year old division. May be the pacesetter in a race that isn’t teeming with speed.

4. Nest - her last race, a total destruction of the field in the CCA Oaks (Gr I) puts her on a far higher level than every other three year old filly in training. She earned a -1 TG after having run 1’s when winning the Ashland (Gr I) and running second in the Belmont. The distance is a plus, she has shown increased tactical speed and has trained well, it’s her’s to lose.

5. Nostalgic - just has never given any indication that she is in the same league as the top fillies in here.

6. She’s Keen - broke maiden earlier in meet in slow paced 9 furlong effort. Will likely appreciate the added distance, will likely not appreciate the increased competition.

7. Secret Oath - will the Hot Tub Time Machine land at the Spa once again like it has several times this meet? It’s not completely impossible and she does figure to get a better trip than last time where she really was taken out of her game. Nest is simply a faster filly at this point but Secret Oath is very capable though if I had to wager which of the two would be tailing off at this stage of their campaigns, I’d choose this one.

Lake Placid Gr II $200,000 8.5 f inner turf 3yo F

One trainer having 2/3rd’s of the field makes these races difficult to want to handicap based on the wild conflict of interest that exist. Not suggesting that anything illegal would occur but the fact that four of the six jockeys are receiving instructions from the same person makes it harder to figure out the puzzle. That said the best filly in here is With the Moonlight (Ire) who wheels back in 13 days after her win in the Saratoga Oaks Inv (Gr III) for Chuck Appleby and Godolphin. It’s not often that Luis Saez is a downgrade in jockey but William Buick was masterful on her last out and the daughter of the great Frankel (GB) is a difficult ride. The race may set up for her though as longshot Sail By is likely to set the early pace, giving With the Moonlight (Ire) a target to run at. The Brown quartet all look eerily similar which adds to the difficulty in trying to figure out what may happen. As is the case in the Alabama (Gr I), the best filly in the race is clear and perhaps the only way to beat them is for them to beat themselves.

30 years ago, Allen Jerkens pulled off the Test - Alabama double with November Snow who beat a top filly named Saratoga Dew in the 1992 Alabama. Great show with some really good interviews of some still in the game today.