“Routine Maintenance” Day

Real Writing on Racing 💯

Due to routine maintenance, yesterday’s Going in Circles Digest was scrapped though to be honest, I’m sure that there weren’t many waiting breathlessly for my Susie O’Cain stakes analysis (It would have been wrong). Honestly we just didn’t have much to say yesterday and with ADW’s Twinspires, et al having been offline most of Wednesday for “routine maintenance” I grabbed the low hanging fruit. The card was not exactly compelling but I had a profitable day so I’m not complaining.

The opener was 2 year old maiden NY bred fillies going a mile out of the Wilson chute after it was originally scheduled for 1 1/16 on the inner turf. Walking into the paddock I asked trainer Dom Schitteno why his second time starter, Bernietakescharge had gotten so far back in her debut and did he think she can handle the switch to dirt. He said he didn’t know why she lagged in her first start but had always trained as though she could lay close and expected that yesterday, also dirt wasn’t an issue, he just wanted a non-sprint distance. Armed with this information her price at 8-1 now looked juicy as this was a group devoid of much hope on the dirt. Under new rider, Katie Davis, the homebred filly by Take Charge Indy broke alertly, alternated on the lead with Grab the Glory before shaking off that rival, drawing clear in the stretch to win by 8 1/2 lengths. We have network coverage of our races but for the most part the prerace wisdom imparted by the various analysts is just regurgitated takes of widely available past performance data. This represents a failure to acquire and deliver meaningful information NOT found in the pages of the DRF or BRIS programs, which should be a primary mission of said shows. Most trainers are perfectly willing to answer questions about their horses but someone needs to ask them pointed questions, not just “How is your horse feeling” which inevitably leads to the ubiquitous “we wouldn’t trade places with anyone” which is rarely truthful.

Bernietakescharge in the paddock before the opener

Race two and three were dirt races decimated by scratches. Four horse maiden $40000 and $16000 claimers are bad for business at any meet, at anytime, but especially at Saratoga with its large captive audience (paid attendance on Wednesday was 25,321). Fundamental issues exist on the backsides across the country that are being made worse by unfettered and magisterial regulatory rule but that’s a story for another time.

The fifth was one of two races left on the grass but was switched to the Mellon course from the inner so that only one race was held on each. The stater allowance for horses that have run for $50000 but not won a race other than maiden or claimer went to 5 year old Cairo Prince gelding Ghostlyprince, a 17-1 outsider moving up in class from conditioned claimers for Rudy Rodriguez and Flavian Prat. He narrowly edged Jarreau whom Mike Maker and Three Diamond’s Farm claimed 25 months ago that still hasn’t won a race for them despite many close calls, this being the closest. The race was marred when early pace setter Wisecracken pulled up abruptly turning for home, was vanned off and subsequently euthanized because of a hind leg injury.

Race six was an entry level allowance race for fillies and mares going six furlongs on the dirt with favoritism going to Finger Lakes shipper Cuz Ur Pretty. The filly by Sharp Azteca had dominated three consecutive allowance races at the Lakes by a combined margin of 22 1/2 lengths but fit the condition because the purse levels were below the minimum price in yesterday’s condition. Yet it was Three Rivers, a homebred filly by American Pharoah trained by Bill Mott that registered the easy win under Junior Alvarado. She had won her only start at Belmont back in June and surprisingly was listed as third choice in the multi-race wagers coming into the race behind Cuz Ur Pretty and Portage, from the suddenly not-so-hot Linda Rice stable. Alvarado pressed the pacesetting favorite from the outset, finally shaking clear of her turning for home and was never seriously threatened after that. Portage put in a mild rally to run a non-threatening second while Cuz Ur Pretty faded to sixth.

Three Rivers warms up prior to her winning effort

The feature was the Suzie O’ Cain stakes for three year old NY bred fillies going 1 1/16 on the inner turf. The winner was Silver Skillet, a Liam’s Map filly trained and ridden by familiar faces Chris Clement and Joel Rosario. Rosario bided his time in sixth behind a strong early pace set by Kosuke, worked his way to the outside turning for home and commenced a decisive and winning rally for the relatively easy 3 1/4 length score. Former Clement runner, Orange Freeze who went off a slight favorite, got shuffled back a bit too far and her finishing bid was just second best, edging Bernt Again, who encountered some traffic clearance issues in the lane otherwise would have been closer. For more details about the race including a race replay click Here.

🇨🇦 Sunday’s Kings Plate at Woodbine drew a huge 17 horse field of Canadian foaled horses to top their signature days card. Read more Here.

😔 RIP to prominent owner Jerry Moss.

🆓 DRF Formulator PP’s for todays Rick Violette stakes from Saratoga Here

🚨 SURFACE CHANGE ALERT - Today’s Races 6 & 10 are off the grass, races 2,3,7,9 remain on and the Rick Violette Stakes will be shifted to the Mellon Course

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Rick Violette Stakes $125,000 3yo NY breds 1 1/16 Mellon Turf

1. Ramblin’ Wreck - improving gelding has been taking advantage of the NY sired stakes race program with a win and narrow loss in those events in his two starts this season. Itsallcomintogetha stole one from him last out setting soft, unpressured pace on July 20 in the $150,000 NY stallion stakes but that scenario seems unlikely today as there are multiple entrants with speed that figure to add a little more pace pressure than last time. Irad should be able to bide his time and pounce at the quarter pole, especially in a compact field with only 5 others (before scratches) plus he isn’t giving Itsallcomintogetha 6 pounds like he did last time. It’s not a particularly clever thought but he is the most likely winner at an also likely unappealing price.

2. King of Comedy - cruised on an easy lead July 4th weekend, taking down an NYB allowance by 5 lengths. Figures to apply early pressure to Itsallcomintogetha, keeping that one honest and hoping to be able to out sprint him in the lane while cutting back in distance today. These are the types I try to beat at short prices, horses that had very successful races using ideal trips that they almost certainly won’t get in this race. On TG he is as fast as everyone but Ramblin’ Wreck but may be a lot shorter price than the others.

3. Vacation Dance - interesting that Kimmel adds blinkers after chase and fade try against Itsallcomintogetha last out. He has flashed early speed before, he was on the lead when winning the Atlantic Beach stakes last Fall at Aqueduct going 6f on the lawn. Could the plan be to send to the lead and try to turn the tables or will he just press and ensure quick early fractions? Kimmel is only 7% adding blinkers btw. It’s rare in a NY turf race to see multiple horses that have early speed.

4. Willintoriskitall - lightly raced gelding also adds blinkers after even try against Itsallcomintogetha last out, his first race off the maiden $40000 claim by Jose D’Angelo. Luis Saez sticks and may be able to work out a better trip than last out, especially if a quicker pace materializes.

5. Itsallcomintogetha - seems likely to face more early pressure than last time when Gomez did a nice job of rationing out his speed on the front end, saving just enough to hold off the heavily favored Ramblin’ Wreck. The added distance of this race may not help his chances either but sometimes in a small field strange things can happen if the other jocks are wary of getting in an early duel.

6. Let’s Go Big Blue - wheels back on two weeks rest after gamely dueling throughout and getting his nose to the wire first in state bred NW1x going a mile in his second race of the year. Was on the inside the entire way last out but figures to lose some ground today after drawing post six of six though perhaps Lezcano takes back a bit from the gate and tries to maneuver to the rail going into the first turn. Either way a tougher trip looms

Rick Violette was a very good trainer who won many graded stakes over the years before his untimely passing a few years ago. He was well known in racing circles for his tireless work and advocacy for horseman and backside workers as President of NYTHA for years. Here is a clip of a gelding, Diversify, he did great work with winning the Whitney in 2018.