Sunday Funday
Real Writing on Racing 💯
🎪 A uncomfortably warm but mostly sunny Whitney day was interrupted for about ten minutes when a Saratoga style summer storm hit after the Glens Falls was made official, slightly delaying the eighth race and cooling off the temps somewhat but turning the main track sloppy.
🏆 This day provided drama beyond the regular race to race results and the Whitney (Gr I) was right smack dab in the middle of it for a familiar reason. Life is Good, under Irad Ortiz, rocketed out of the gate like he always does, seizing a couple length lead going into the first turn of the 9 furlong, grade one event. Down the backside he maintained a clear lead while choosing a rather wide path as Hot Rod Charlie and Olympiad jockeyed for position behind him. Going past the half mile post (a very fast 46.84) Prat sent Hot Rod Charlie after Life is Good while Olympiad couldn’t keep pace and started to drop back. Going around the far turn, Life is Good maintained his two length advantage with Ortiz starting to get busy on him, though Happy Saver was making a run to contention up the inside. As the field advanced down the stretch, Happy Saver now looked the main danger as Hot Rod Charlie was not cutting into Life is Good’s lead and Olympiad was still not making an impact. Ortiz sensing this, glanced over his left shoulder at Happy Saver and Johnny Velazquez, before going hard to the right handed stick and angling over into his path, though still clear, forcing Velazquez to alter course off the inside. Life is Good with Ortiz still busily riding, maintained his slim but clear advantage to the wire with Happy Saver outgaming Hot Rod Charlie for the runner up spot and Olympiad a few lengths further back in fourth. The stewards, despite the obvious incident mid-stretch, chose not to hang the inquiry sign and Velazquez didn’t claim foul, after the race stating that they weren’t, in his opinion, going take Life is Good down so why bother? He was probably correct in that assessment, though the fact that both horses involved, are trained by Todd Pletcher makes that decision and the stewards ignoring the incident by not calling an inquiry, appear questionable to the betting public at large. The swerve-gate controversy does take away from the strong performance by Life is Good over a wet, tiring surface where he set a very ambitious pace and earned a 107 Beyer and a huge TimeformUS fig (takes pace into the equation) of 136. Happy Saver ran well as he always does and Hot Rod Charlie, Hot Rod Charlie’d, appearing to sort of hang even though he might just not be better than we tend to think he is. Olympiad was the disappointment of the 2022 Whitney as he really never put in a menacing run at any point. It was a taxing race and the four year old winner appeared gassed afterwards, I’d be surprised if we see Life is Good again before the Classic on November 5. As for Ortiz, while he himself is responsible for his actions on the racetrack, if he is allowed to operate in this overly aggressive manner without serious reprimand, why would anything ever change? If the police stopped giving out speeding tickets, wouldn’t a lot more people speed, making the roadway a more dangerous place? Same concept applies…
🥇The running of the Saratoga Derby (Gr I) resembled last month's Belmont Derby (Gr I) in many ways except one, the presence of the outstanding European jockey, William Buick. Replacing Frankie Dettori on Nation’s Pride (Ire) after an adventurous trip in the downstate affair, Buick aggressively spotted the Charlie Appleby/Godolphin homebred in a perfect position, laying third on the inside going into the first turn. Classic Causeway, once again was handed an uncontested lead when Emmanuel, who was ultimately eased, curiously was placed under a hard hold by Flavian Prat from the start, despite having won his only turf try in a wire to wire fashion. We think Classic Causeway set relatively ordinary fractions based upon a visual analysis of the proceedings because the timing malfunction issue reared it’s ugly head again, providing us with ludicrous posted times. Nevertheless, Nation’s Pride (Ire) was always moving like a winner and when Classic Causeway, under a heady ride by Julian LeParoux, tried to sneak away turning for home, Buick went to work. They collared Classic Causeway with about 3/16ths of a mile to go and after a few reminders from Buick, Nations Pride (Ire) opened up and maintained a safe margin to the wire. Annapolis, off as a close second choice, rallied late to nail a stubborn Classic Causeway for the runner up spot while never really threatening the winner. Third choice, Stone Age(Ire) from the Aiden O’Brien army of Galileo’s, never really got untracked and the chart callers comment of one paced is an apt description.
🏅 When the nominations for the Test (Gr I) came out a few weeks back, if someone suggested that Chi Town Lady was going to sweep by the entire field, from last to first, I would have suggested testing for them. The Verrazano filly was coming in off of a decent allowance try at Churchill in May, falling three lengths short in that race despite a rapid pace to close into. It’s not that she didn’t have ability, it’s that she hadn’t gotten appreciably faster as a three year old than she was as a two year old when she won the Bolton Landing (Listed) over a boggy Spa turf course last summer. In fact in her 2022 season debut, she was thumped by 15 lengths by huge Test favorite Matareya in the Beaumont(Gr III) at Keeneland. Yesterday ridden for the first time by Joel Rosario, she lagged at the back of the pack for the first half mile before he angled her outside and commenced a powerful rally, picking up momentum as she closed in on the leaders. Rosario made one error and it almost cost her, when approaching the tiring pair of Hot Peppers and Matareya, he used his right hand to give the filly a reminder to keep her mind on business and she ducked in, making contact with Matareya’s hindquarters. That bump was more incidental than anything but led to an inquiry being posted though Hot Peppers leaning out in the stretch may have also been under review. For Wesley Ward it was another graded stakes winning upset in a dirt sprint for fillies ridden by Rosario after Kimari sprung the upset in the Honorable Miss (Gr II) on July 27. Huge favorite Matareya did not appear to have an excuse as the race set up in her favor, Prat got her to commence her rally up a big opening inside tiring fillies and she just didn’t have the late punch that she has had when easily winning her last four though perhaps she didn’t care for the sloppy, sealed surface after a mid-afternoon storm.
🎖 The Glens Falls (Gr II) was a classic mismatch on paper and as it turns out, on the inner turf course as well. Defending Glens Falls champ War like Goddess cruised up under a chilly Rosario to gain command of the race at the top of the stretch and was hardly extended while Temple City Terror outgamed Virginia Joy (Ger) for second. The English Channel mare earned a 95 Beyer for her easy score.
🎪 The opener, a MSW race for two year old colts going 8.5 furlongs on the grass was taken by good looking son of freshman stallion City of Light, a first time starter named Battle of Normandy for Shug and Kendrick Carmouche.
🎪 The Lure (Listed) was won by Dynadrive, who pulled off the upset under a heady, rain skimming ride by Eric Cancel. Favorite Public Sector was never a factor when finishing 4th.
🎪 Disarm, a homebred Gun Runner for Asmussen/Winchell/Gafflione, rallied smartly behind a quick pace to score an impressive win in race 6 a 7 furlong MSW. He received an 86 Beyer for his effort. Florida bred first time starter Arthur’s Ride (bred by longtime Going in Circles Big Monday show sponsor Joe and Helen Barbazon) ran well to be second. He just lasted over Curlin firster Crupi, who hit the gate at the start, lagged waaaaaaaay behind down the backside, was still far back turning for home and commenced a furious rally to just miss second. Tab for a stretch out next out, perhaps at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet going a mile.
🏵 Huge upset in the Hamletonian, harness racings premier event, at the Meadowlands yesterday afternoon. Cool Papa Bell, a solid yet unheralded performer pulled off the shocker for trainer Jim Campbell and driver Todd McCarthy. The stunning victory by the 52-1 shot gave Campbell a sweep of both the Hambletonian and the Hambletonian Oaks. It also gave up-and-coming driver Todd McCarthy his first Hambo win. The GIC selection of filly Jovialty was close but no cigar as she finished second, beaten 3/4’s of a length.
🥵 Woodbine cancelled todays racing program due to excessive heat
💰 Check out our Breeders Cup Classic Futures guide HERE!
Day 19 (21 racing days to go)
The Adirondack Gr III $200,000 6.5 furlongs 2yo fillies
Apple Picker - filly by Connect went wire to wire first time out, setting ordinary fractions and recording not so fast 61 Beyer and 16 TG
Naughty Girl - was far better with a start under her belt, crushing a good group at Churchill when breaking her maiden last out. She ran a 75 Beyer and a 10 TG in that win, picks up Saez today. Looms as the favorite though I’m skeptical about taking too short of a price on her especially if rain and potentially sloppy track add to the unknowns.
Promise of Hope - was with the pace from the start before drawing away late when well-backed in Churchill debut. Will have to do better than the 14.5 TG with Jose Ortiz doing the riding.
Sabra Tuff - Stewart trained, Louisiana-bred Cross Traffic filly graduated first time out in a restricted MSW at CD before running distant second in the Debutante (Listed) to Wonder Wheel. She has shown some versatility as her maiden win was done on the front end and she closed ground from seventh early in her stakes placing. Has paired 12 TG and she could be ready for an even bigger effort against a pretty moderate group with Irad riding for the first time.
Janis Joplin - still a maiden, has run decent third place finishes twice including in the Spa opening day feature, the Schuylerville (Gr III). She hasn’t found the right notes yet out of the gate, breaking slowly both times though the added distance won’t hurt.
Damaso - Hamm ships in from PID after this Outwork filly broke her maiden there in June before shipping to Woodbine and running third in the My Dear Stakes (Listed) last month. Shows a sharp Sar work (4 in 48, fastest of 14) over the main track Monday to prepare for her dirt racing debut. Not without a chance if she handles dirt/mud.
Saratoga Oaks Inv. Grade III 1 3/16 Mellon turf 3yo fillies
New Years Eve- rain could impact this race as it’s expected to storm between 1 and 5pm in the Saratoga area. That presumably would help this Kitten’s Joy filly as she ran her best lifetime race at Churchill on Oaks day over a course called firm that clearly wasn’t. Had no shot in the Belmont Oaks (Gr I) with her lag behind, late rally style on a speed favoring course that day. Walsh who has had slow start to the meet makes a change of pilots, tabbing Gafflione to replace Saez who has been aboard last two and doesn’t have a listed mount. Needs to stay in touch with the leaders as a tepid pace in a short field hurt her chances
McKulick - Frankel filly has never run a bad race, capitalized on excellent trip to run down Walk the Moonlight (Ire) in her biggest win to date in the Belmont Oaks (Gr I). The best of the Brown trio is the horse to beat here if the leaders don’t slip away and give her too much to do.
With the Moonlight (Ire) - possible pacesetter in this compact field, gets the services of WT Buick (nobody thought it might be a good idea to use one of the top jocks in the world in any of the other grass races on the day?) which proved to be key in yesterday’s Saratoga Derby. Had no real excuse other than being second best in the Belmont Oaks (Gr I) though she was a bit rank in the early stages. Might have the tactical edge this time though in the battle of Frankel’s, as she may be able to dictate the pace or settle off of Walkathon if she winds up on the lead. Reportedly outworked the Saratoga Derby winner so might be peaking at right time.
Walkathon - rerouted to this spot after the cancellation of the Pucker Up at Churchill, Wilkes trained filly is undefeated in three grass races. She did beat todays favorite McKulick in her last, the Regret (Gr III) back in June and has more early foot than she does. Interesting to see what tactic Leparoux uses out of the gate, does he let her run to the lead or does he try to set up shop in a stalking position off of With the Moonlight? Always skeptical about horses that are forced to make last minute schedule changes.
Contemporary Art - ran well both starts including maiden breaker in last. Big step up in company but bred to want this longer trip. Has to improve a lot in a short period of time to be on the board here. Seems like they are taking a flyer and in a short field it’s not the worst place to try stakes company.
Oakhurst - Mr Speaker filly has to show more to get involved today though Rosario on longshot closers has been a fruitful angle lately.
2001 Adirondack Stakes featuring You and Cashiers Dream throwing down!