Whitney Week Wednesday
Real Writing on Racing 💯
Sunday was a glorious weather day in upstate New York, especially compared to Saturday which was rather inglorious and drab. The racing was marred from the lingering effects of the Saturday downpours with four of the six scheduled turf races being moved to the main track though the Bowling Green (Gr II) and the 7th, a high level allowance, remained on.
🏇🏻The opener was scheduled to be a 2yo filly MSW run at 1 1/16 on the grass but wound up being a mile on the dirt out of the Wilson chute. The Pletcher-Repole entry went off 6-5 and that favoritism was well deserved as Miz Sense, a Street Sense filly that was purchased for 500k at Keeneland September last fall, drew off late under Jose Ortiz to register a fairly easy 4 length win. The other half of the entry, Life’s an Audible, chased and tired badly.
🎖️The second, a $16000 nw2 claimer for F/M going a mile on the dirt out of the Wilson chute, featured the rare Mountaineer Park shipper, Vintage, who was put on the lead by Dylan Davis right from the start. Davis asked the 3yo Army Mule mare to put some distance on the field heading into the far turn and she responded well, never being challenged thereafter. Jeff Englehart trains for himself and Photos Finish Llc. Favored Shigeko never threatened off the layoff and trainer change to Linda Rice and was claimed by Mertkan Kantarmaci.
💸 The fifth was a second level allowance race that was moved from the grass to the dirt to be run at 1 1/4 with a huge favorite, 3yo filly Signal from Noise, drawing in as a Main Track Only. That Chad Brown trainee was exiting what looked to be a key race, the Lady Secret Stakes held June 10th at Monmouth, that had already produced two return winners including Shotgun Hottie who won the Molly Pitcher (Gr II) on the Haskell undercard. Just four faced the starter, only Amani’s Image staying in from the body of the race, and MTO Fannie and Freddie shot right to the lead. The Malibu Moon filly ridden by Luis Saez for Al Stall, set a moderate pace and brushed off a brief challenge from Toned Up on the final turn, cruising home under intermittent urging. Signal from Noise who was sent off at 2-5 just chased throughout, never really able to muster any threat to the winner and unable to even out finish Toned Up for the place position. The graveyard of favorites had claimed another victim and the free square wasn’t free after all.
🌟 Race six was a traditional Saratoga 2yo filly MSW going 6.5 furlongs, a good looking group of eight first time starters plus the Wayne Lukas trained Alamo from post 9. Alys Beach, a $120k KeeSept purchase trained by Tom Amoss snuck up the rail to pass tiring leader Mugen in deep stretch to register a narrow victory over Pletcher-Irad-Repole firster Life Talk. Sent off at a generous 8-1 the chestnut filly under Tyler Gafflione came into this affair with four solid 5 furlong preps and showed talent and professionalism in winning her debut, the second winner at the meet for her sire, the promising Omaha Beach. Life Talk raced too well to lose, a rough start (equibase charts designating the start as Poor are a frequent occurrence) followed by a wide trip gave her just a little too much to do but provided she exits this one in good shape, she shouldn’t be a maiden too much longer. Mugen flashed high speed from the gate and got a little leg weary late, but also should be dangerous coming out of this. Waskesiu, an Ontario bred trained by Mott, raced a tad green and I’d keep tabs on her, especially on the stretch out to two turns and/or move to the grass.
🥃 It’s hard to believe but six year old NY bred gelding trained by Todd Pletcher, Jerry the Nipper, had never raced at Saratoga prior to winning race 7, a conditioned allowance race run over a turf course labeled good (seemed firm). Honestly you can summarize the race by saying that Jerry the Nipper did Jerry the Nipper things, stalking the lead, taking over turning for home before being quickly tackled on the outside by race favorite Kuramata (Ire), gamely finding more in deep stretch and just plain out dueling that one to get the victory by a neck, winner number 3 for Jose Ortiz on the day. Jerry the Nipper’s lifetime record now stands at 15-6-3-4 good for $430k and 1 for 1 at the Spa.
🎂The morning scratch of the front running Strong Quality was a major factor in how the Bowling Green (Gr II) was going to play out as the early pace went from nominal to glacial all at once. Old timer Channel Maker and Manny Franco now figured to be loose on the lead and as it turned out, they were, taking the pace challenged field through tepid fractions of 25.40 x 50.85 x 1:16.15 x 1:39.53 and turning the last 3 furlongs into a sprint. The creaky legs still had a little life left in them as Channel Maker shaded 12 seconds the last eighth and held the team of Verstappen and Never Explain safe. The race was marred when huge fav Rebel’s Romance clipped heels on the final turn, unseating jockey Richard Mullen who sustained multiple serious, though non-life threatening injuries. The victory, the second graded stakes for trainer Mott in as many days, proves that the adage that lone speed is always dangerous remains true.
🆘 Check out todays edition of the Saratoga Special HERE.
👎🏼 A weak older horses division just got weaker with this announcement.
💰 Tampa Bay Downs purses are 📈 Check out the latest.
👏🏼Horseman Beau Lane has never been afraid to speak what he feels is the truth regardless of who doesn’t like it and his recent letter to the editor of TDN is one more example of that refreshing trait. Check out what he had to say HERE
🆓 DRF Formlator PP’s for today De La Rose Stakes from Saratoga HERE
De La Rose (L)®️ $175,000 4&up F/M 1 mile inner turf
White Frost - got caught behind a ridiculously slow early pace after a compromised start in the Anchorage stakes at Ellis Park over a soft course in her last and just couldn’t make up the required ground late. Prior to that seemed to be knocking at the door to graded stakes success after missing the entire 2022 season. May wind up with perfect trip, saving ground behind potentially contentious pace. The morning line of 3-1 is lower than what I’d consider value for her as IMO 9-2 is closer to where I’d rate her chances but she does also have the highest TimeformUS figure at 125.
Evvie Jets - outkicked Technical Analysis (Ire) in her most recent stakes score, the Perfect Sting at Belmont last month. Most likely scenario is Castellano sends to the lead and tries to dictate terms once again. Has run well over the course and speed is always dangerous though Jose Ortiz on Technical Analysis (Ire) may apply a bit more pressure this go around which may prove to be detrimental to both fillies chances.
Eminent Victor - atypical Brown runner that doesn’t have very good form, both her races this season have been non-threatening and she hasn’t displayed much late speed in either. If a supersonic pace duel develops perhaps she can pick up some pieces late but outside of that unlikely scenario, she doesn’t hold much appeal.
Haughty - she is a tough filly to figure in here as she doesn’t have a great late kick like most female Brown-trained turf performers and I don’t think that she will be on the lead here either. Needs to run a lifetime top to beat the best in here and hard to endorse that occurring today.
Technical Analysis (Ire) - the obvious favorite who last season established herself as a legit grade 1 performer. The question about her is that she has only one start in 2023, a runner up finish in the listed Perfect Sting at Belmont on 4th of July weekend as the 1-2 overwhelming choice, a race where she simply couldn’t get past Evvie Jets. She won last years Ballston Spa (Gr II) which will be held Travers Day and its fair to wonder if this spot is simply a prep for that race or is Brown testing her form out here as he rarely has any qualms about training up to a targeted spot? She just feels vulnerable at a short price
Regal Realm - made her stakes debut a winning one when capturing the Lady Canterbury at, of course, Canterbury Downs last out, her third consecutive win. Paired 5.5 TG which is puts her on the fringes of contention here though the 4yo filly would need to improve once again and feels like she may be underlaid at her 5-1 morning line to do so.
Runaway Rumor - NY bred mare could wind up a stalking position although potentially a wide one from the outside post. She hasn’t been making a whole lot of noise in non-state bred company lately and it’s tough to get her on the board in this rare Wednesdays stakes affair.
Wasn’t sure I’d find video of De La Rose in action but here is the Diana Handicap during her Eclipse award campaign as Champion grass mare as a 3yo in 1981 when she also took down the EP Taylor (Gr I) at Woodbine and beat males in the Hollywood Derby (Gr I). She made 15 starts that season, winning 7 stakes including beating the boys three times including on the dirt in the Long Branch (Gr II) at Monmouth. Woody Stephens trained and Eddie Maple rode her to most of her victories.