saratoga’s daily newspaper on thoroughbred racing dandy boyaug 01, 2015 · dandy boy t he...
TRANSCRIPT
Year 15 • No. 7
Tod
Mar
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Saturday, August 1, 2015
Newcomer Japan part of deep field in Gr. 2
Dandy Boy
aratogaT he
Saratoga’s Daily Newspaper on Thoroughbred Racing
• The Big Beast returns in Vanderbilt• Barbados ships in for Amsterdam• Saturday Entries & Handicapping
2 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
The Factor
Jack Milton
Summer Soiree
Helene Super Star
Data Link
Peace and War
War Command
Declaration of War
P.O. Box 150 Paris, Kentucky 40362-0150 Tel.(859) 233-4252 Fax 765-0804 claibornefarm.comINQUIRIES TO BERNIE SAMS e-mail: [email protected] © EQUI-PHOTO, TREVOR JONES, HORSEPHOTOS.COM, PHOTOS BY Z
War FrontD A N Z I G – S T A R R Y D R E A M E R , b y R U B I A N O
I N 2 0 1 5 : 10 Stakes Winners 21 Stakes Horses, 6 G1 Stakes Horses
#1 Sire by A Runner Index ________________________________________War Front 3.98 Galileo 3.93 Ghostzapper 3.41 Speightstown 3.38 Dubawi 3.37 Medaglia D’Oro 3.33 Dansili 3.10Tapit 2.86
3Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
NAMES OF THE DAYAbbot, third race. Stone Farm’s homebred is out of Saintly Sister.
Go Around, seventh race. Peter Vegso’s homebred it out of Mediation. That’s how to go around.
MISSED CONNECTIONOn CraigsList they’re a little creepy. In The Special they’re not. Any horse owners out there
from Colorado? Get in touch with Tom Law ([email protected], or 859-396-9407), who got this note from former Skidmore College men’s soccer coach:
“I was out biking this morning and met a horse owner named Jim from Denver/Breck-enridge, Colorado. We chatted a little bit then headed our separate ways. At the end he commented on riding more, but I was already moving and was not wearing my hearing aids and I lost his comment. Can you help me ID/contact him?”
LICENSE PLATE OF THE DAY2 TURN, Ohio.
WORTH REPEATING“I should probably go along and figure out what’s going on with my horses.”
Owner Paul Saylor, as Ralph Nicks began his Stable Tour with The Special
“By the way, your analysis of the steeplechase yesterday was spot on – your best work yet.”Owner Alan Brodsky, to The Special’s Joe Clancy who futilely analyzed
Thursday’s jump race on Talking Horses – before said race was canceled.
here&there... at Saratoga
Connie Bush No Wake Zone. This is how much it rained Thursday.
Bernardini had five juveniles sell for $500,000+ in 2015
more than any other stallion.One colt sold for $1.4 million
no stallion did better.His two-year-old median was $420,000
only Tapit topped it.
Get your hooks into Bernardini...
Pin sharp!
DarleyBERNARDINI A.P. Indy – Cara Rafaela (Quiet American)859-255-8537 www.darleyamerica.com
DAR8570 Saratoga Special Bernardini 1 AUG15 31/07/2015 17:22 Page 1
4 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
WORTH REPEATING“Ever put a golf cart on the cover? I’ve got the best golf cart.”
Owner Anthony Bonomo, Thursday morning (and yes he does)
“You’re spending a lot time with Japan this morning.”Trainer Bill Mott, to The Special’s Sean Clancy Friday morning
“We used to play cowboys and Indians when I was growing up. You learned how to ride.”Helen Groves, talking about her childhood in Texas
“Overwhelming.”Shug McGaughey, as his former horse, Overwhelming, walked past Friday morning
“How would I look if I carried her?”Niall Brennan, while trying to get a Jack Russell to walk
“This horse here…um…he’s going to run…um…in that race…you know that race…”Jimmy Jerkens, when asked how his father
would have done with The Special’s new Stable Tour
“Are you guys boycotting today?” Tom Bellhouse next to the empty paper rack
at the Morning Line at 6:40 a.m. Friday (We were late, we’ll get better)
“I already asked how much it paid because I’m not doing it for free and I’ll be on time.” Elizabeth Collins, wife of The Special’s Tom Law, discussing finishing
the season as the paper deliverer when the current staff goes back to college
here&there... at Saratoga
800-523-8143
“Finishing last in Saratoga is still betterthan finishing last somewhere else.”
Maryland-based trainer Phil Schoenthal, on racing at the Spa
QUOTE OF THE DAY
YOUR SOURCE FOR NY-BREDS Phone: (518) 423-2028
www.saratogaglenfarm.com
NAME OF THE DAYWoke Up Tired, first race.
Appropriate for Monday morning of sales week. That’s us.
Furyofthenorsemen, sixth race. Hibiscus Stable’s 3-year-old is by Northern Afleet, out of Dynasty. “O Lord, deliver us…”
Connie BushHello Tom. He’s read The Special since the beginning. Here’s to 15 years, Tom Coyle.
5Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special000085-LE-General-All-Saratoga Special FP-July 31.indd 1 7/31/15 11:22 AM
6 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
The aratoga
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Editors/PublishersSean Clancy: (302) 545-7713. [email protected] Clancy: (302) 545-4424. joe @thisishorseracing.com
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here&there... at SaratogaWORTH REPEATING“It was a work of art.”
Trainer Bill Mott, describing Japan’s trip in the three-horse Easy Goer at Belmont Park
“This is Lea. He took me to Dubai.”Irma Scott, while grazing Lea in front of Mott’s barn Friday morning
“That will be the only time I’ll be referred to as a good runner.”Tom Law, who was called The Special’s Quenton Cassidy in Friday’s edition
“You’re worried about soccer right now? You best focus in on those picks of yours in the Spe-cial.”
Tim Molloy after The Special’s Tom Law sent him a note about going to a U.S. soccer match against Brazil Sept. 8 at Gillette Stadium
“I just think O before A because you’re going to win the Der-Bay.” The Special’s Billy Blake on how he remembers
the correct (incorrect) spelling of American Pharoah
“Hey Jose on a wet track he’s 5-for-6.”Fan outside the paddock to Jose Ortiz aboard Moonlight Song
before Thursday’s John Morrissey. A few minutes later he was 6-for-7
“All of them I guess.” Young racing fan Olivia Witkowski, 12,
when The Special’s Tom Law asked about her favorite horseTod Marks
World Travelers. Lea and Irma Scott, who went to Dubai together in March, share a moment Friday morning.
7Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
Ralph Nicks is back. The Saratoga veteran – as assistant
for Bill Mott and on his own – de-cided to stay in Florida last summer. The decision, made out of necessity, turned into the best decision Nicks has made, perhaps, in his career.
By staying in Florida year round, Nicks has bolstered his stable to 55 horses at Gulfstream Park and 12 at Saratoga this summer. Carl Allsop runs his stable in Florida and Heather Smullen helps run the Saratoga divi-sion.
Wednesday morning, Nicks bal-anced 12 horses and two owners – Paul Saylor and Mandy Pope and The Special’s Sean Clancy. The trainer was happy to do it.
“It’s more encouraging this year. It’s not the sole thing that I’m try-ing to make my living with, I have my home base. With the new clients I’ve attracted, I’m getting better hors-es than I did when I was last here,” Nicks said. “They’re trying to do the right things down there, the money’s good for year-round racing and it’s a great facility. It was the first year in 31 years that I didn’t relocate at some point during the year. It felt weird when everybody first started to leave but it didn’t take long to settle in.”
Good horses will do that for you. Nicks won 19 races in 2013, while
moving from Florida to New York. In 2014, he won 35 races. This year, he’s won 26 from 166 starts. His horses have earned $935,205, closing in on last year’s tally of just over $1 million.
“I had been here, I had won rac-es here before, it’s no fun when you can’t compete. Hopefully we can this year,” Nicks said when asked what it was like to miss last year’s meet. “If I stayed in New York, I was going to be out of business. I was confident train-
ing horses but I just wasn’t attracting any. I’m not the clubhouse guy, not the marketer. The owners I have right now, the interaction is fun. They’re team players. I’m attracting people who are loyal to the game.”
Hollywood Idol: “By Smart Strike,
we put him on the turf for the first time and his form has been much better. He’s a nice, hard-trying horse. Possible, we might run him in the Lure on the 8th (of August).”
Sweet Basil: “She’ll run in the Shine Again on the 5th, open fil-lies. She was fourth in the Princess Rooney, she won three out of four at Gulfstream.”
Cult Classic: “Quality Road filly that won very impressively last year and was second off the layoff. She’ll run in an allowance race and hopeful-ly she’ll be stakes quality later.”
Tiz A Pleasure: “Tiznow 2-year-old of Mandy’s (and a Fasig-Tipton yearling purchase here last summer). End of the meet, could be the fall of the year. I’m not going to press too much. Nice colt.”
Tap To It: “Tapit filly, (unraced) 2-year-old, she’ll probably run in the middle of the meet.”
Ultimate Shopper: “We tried to get Grade 2 black type in the Honor-able Miss. That didn’t work.”
Crown D’Oro: “She broke her maiden at Gulfstream in her last start, first time turf. She’ll run on the 7th, a other than.”
Avast Matey: “Birdstone of Paul Saylor’s, was beaten a head first start, just got caught at 45-1. I’m not a big gambler but I did bet 10 across
because P. J. (Campo) was standing beside me and said, ‘What are they doing, letting your first 2-year-old go off at 40-1?’ I said, ‘That colt can’t be 40-1.’ That head was a $20,000 dif-ference to my assistant.”
Perillone: “Gio Ponti 2-year-old of Paul’s, breezed a quarter, galloped out three-eighths in :38 on Wednes-day. Might be ready towards the end of the meet. He’ll be on the bubble. You’d think he’d be grass, but he breezed well on the dirt.”
Kandoo: “This is the Kantharos who ran the Lasix-free race at Gulf-stream. She’ll run in the Adirondack. I’m not opposed to having the non-Lasix races, as long as it’s even.”
Dancie: “She won her debut at Gulfstream and will go to the Ad-irondack. She broke on the lead and drew off, very smart. Numbers-wise, Kandoo ran faster. They’re both laid back, walked in the paddock, just stood there. She ran into a tree when she was a foal, I’m not sure how she lived, but she’s got some head on her.”
Iroquois Girl: “Two-time winner last year, she’s been off a year. Two-other-than, 5 ½-furlong turf. She was Mr. (James) Spence’s but he’s out of the game. I own her now. She’ll run on the 5th. She’s fast, she went 55 and 3 last year.”
Stable Tour:SARATOGA STABLE TOUR. Meet the people & horses who make Saratoga GO!
T H E S A R A T O G A S A L E A U G U S T 1 0 - 1 1
with Ralph Nicks
Every day at Saratoga, The Special (with help from sponsor Fasig-Tipton)
presents an exclusive Stable Tour with a Saratoga trainer. For more, see: thisishorseracing.com/stabletours
Sean Clancy
8 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
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“When I think about it, if you could appeal to the children of today who don’t have anything to do, we always had something to do, even though we didn’t have a quarter. We would have a pony ring in the state park, on Sundays, some days the pony ring would go all day long, leading those ponies, most of them were Shetlands, they were mean little bastards. I did all right in school. I used to do stupid things once in awhile, I didn’t want to sing Silent Night so they put me out in the hall. Mrs. Christenson, she would give me C’s, when I got A’s in all the other classes, I was just galloping through grade school, then she got me. She made me write with my left hand when I broke my right hand. One time, the teacher said, ‘I don’t care if you need to deliver newspapers, feed horses, you’re staying after school.’ They used to keep all the old test papers and make you write a sentence 400 times on the back, ‘I won’t talk in class. I won’t talk in class. I won’t talk in class.’ ”
The Chief . . . Day 7
– Trainer Allen Jerkens, 1929-2015
Building two-year-olds one individual at a time
(859) 312-3414 | kirkwoodstables.comof the dayPowermouse enjoys his new career
with the Myopia Hunt in Massachusetts. Photo by CANTER Ohio.
(859) 224-2765www.thoroughbredaftercare.org
9Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
Eclipse partners were all smiles after Curalina captured the Grade 1 CCA Oaks at The Spa
Honoring Tradition. Inspiring Innovation. Making History.Thank you to all of our loyal racing partners who always BELIEVE BIG!
Contact:Aron Wellman(310) 968 - [email protected]
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Photo Credit: Adam Coglianese
10 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
BY KAREN M. JOHNSONOn a recent morning at Saratoga Race Course,
trainer Keith Desormeaux fixed his gaze on stable star Texas Red, who was being hand-walked in the shedrow. The 3-year-old colt had just finished his last work for today’s Jim Dandy, and stopped to take dainty sips from his water bucket.
After Texas Red passed out of sight, Desormeaux recalled the first time the son of Afleet Alex cap-tured his attention, two years ago at Keeneland’s September yearling sale.
“It was everything about the horse,” De-sormeaux said. “First of all, we look for balance and athleticism. And he had that right off. Along
with that, you look for the right conformation, and he had that. You look for things you can’t really measure physically . . . something intangible . . . that eagle-eyed thing, that air they might put out as a confident winner. He had that.”
Desormeaux advised one of his owners, Erich
Brehm, to buy the colt, bred in Kentucky by Ston-estreet Thoroughbred Holdings. The $17,000 pur-chase price proved to be worth every penny, and then some, after Texas Red went on to win the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last November.
See TEXAS RED page 12
Annise MontplaisirBreeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red gets acquainted with Saratoga.
All RedDesormeaux readies Breeders’ Cup hero for Gr. 2 Travers prep
JIM DANDY STAKES PREVIEW
11Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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As one of the favorites in the Jim Dandy, Texas Red enters the prep for the Aug. 29 Travers with earnings of $1.3 million. Texas Red is the first Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner to compete in the Jim Dandy since 2007 when Street Sense won the race and the Travers.
With regard to Texas Red’s modest pricetag, Desormeaux noted that Af-leet Alex was in the midst of a “cold spell” as a sire, and the dam, Rama-tuelle, had thrown merely “decent runners.”
The trainer was so enamored with the bay colt, whose face marking re-sembles that of a golf tee, cradling a ball, he joined Brehm as a part-ner. The other partners are Brehm’s friends, Wayne Detmar, Lee Michaels and Dr. Gene Voss.
The 62-year-old Brehm, a Tex-as-based sales manager for a compa-ny that manufactures a medical device used in heart repair surgery, became a fan of racing and betting while at-tending college in Illinois. In the early
1990s, he took his interest to another level, and became a horse owner.
In 2010, when Brehm was looking to bring a horse to Louisiana, some-one suggested reaching out to De-sormeaux.
“I called Keith, and right away I liked him,” Brehm said. “I know this doesn’t mean a lot to everybody, but he had a college degree, and I knew he probably would have a good business sense. We started going to the sales with him, and it’s been growing ever since.”
Texas Red provided each man with his first Grade 1 victory in the Breed-ers’ Cup Juvenile. The colt made quick work of 10 rivals, en route to a 6 1/2-length score at 13-1. It was Texas Red’s first stakes win.
After placing second in February’s San Vicente Stakes in his 3-year-old debut, Texas Red was sidelined with a hoof abscess that resulted in his ab-sence from the Triple Crown races. He returned in Belmont Park’s Dwyer July 4, and finished a fast-closing sec-ond.
The 48-year-old Desormeaux, old-er brother to Hall of Fame jockey (and Texas Red’s rider) Kent Desormeaux, began training in 1991.
Desormeaux grew up in the heart of Cajun country, in the rural village of Maurice, La., about three hours from New Orleans. Keith and Kent received their introduction to horses at local bush tracks, and spread their wings from there. After attending college at Louisiana Tech University, and obtaining an animal science de-gree, Keith hit the road and followed his brother to Maryland. Keith began working for trainer Charlie Hadry, an old-school and revered horseman on the Mid-Atlantic circuit.
“There was no fluff with Charlie,” Keith said. “It was about doing it right every day. Don’t short-cut any-thing. Get quality horses, treat your [staff] right. Treat the horses the best you can, keep them happy and nour-ished, and that’s all it takes. Do right by the horses, and the rest will take care of itself.”
After two years with Hadry, De-sormeaux struck out on his own, first in Southern California, later in Texas and Louisiana. His stable has steadily grown in quantity and qual-ity in recent years. Owing in part to Texas Red’s Breeders’ Cup win, De-sormeaux enjoyed his finest season with his runners earning $2.5 million.
He has 34 horses in his care, most at Del Mar. In addition to Texas Red, his four-horse string at Saratoga – his first – includes Decked Out, third in Opening Day’s Schuylerville Stakes, Danette, fourth in Sunday’s Coach-ing Club American Oaks, and maiden Dalmore.
He speaks with enthusiasm about Texas Red’s second in the Dwyer, and has no qualms about looking into the future. He said he relishes a possible meeting in the Travers with Triple Crown hero American Pharoah, who races in Sunday’s William Hill Has-kell Invitational at Monmouth Park.
“The Dwyer was just part of the process to reach the ultimate goal, which is the Travers,” Desormeaux said. “The Dwyer was fitness and confidence building. It was perfect.
“If American Pharoah was run-ning in the Jim Dandy, I don’t think we could beat him second time off the layoff,” he continued. “But the Tra-vers will be very interesting because it’s a mile-and-a-quarter. That’s right up Texas Red’s alley.”
Content provided byThoroughbred Racing Commentary.
For more, see thoroughbredracing.com.
Texas Red – Continued from page 10
13Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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14 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
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OFF THE TRACKS’ connections gladly “give a hand” after the 2YO filly won the Schuylerville Stakes-G3 on opening day.
BY TOM LAWThree six-figure stakes and one sev-
en-figure headliner with an 11th-hour purse hike sent just about every horse-man with a 3-year-old of consequence into scramble mode this weekend. They entered, cross-entered, checked on fields, analyzed the fields, booked riders, dealt with owners. Name it, they did it. Some even looked into he-licopter charters.
A few stayed the course. John Shirreffs, rewarded when
Smart Transition won Friday’s Curlin Stakes like a colt on his way up the
ranks, was one. Kiaran McLaughlin is another.
Almost immediately after the Bel-mont Stakes, McLaughlin said his plan to get Frosted to the Aug. 29 Travers would go through Saratoga Race Course and the Jim Dandy.
Today when the major local prep for Saratoga’s signature event – a race named for a horse who foiled Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox’s attempt Tod Marks
Second to American Pharoah in the Belmont, Frosted takes aim at the Jim Dandy.
JIM DANDY STAKES PREVIEW
Plan your work, work your plan
McLaughlin stays the course with Belmont runner-up Frosted
See JIM DANDY page 16
15Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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16 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
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to win the Travers – is run, McLaugh-lin will find out if he made the right choice.
Asked about it Friday morning, he gave the impression he was sure it was the right move to stick to the $600,000 Jim Dandy. The other race he could have considered was the $1.75 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, where American Pharoah will make his first start since sweeping the Triple Crown.
“It’s a speed-favoring track and I never really thought about it,” Mc-Laughlin said of the Haskell, like the Jim Dandy run at 1 1/8 miles.
After the Belmont, McLaughlin shipped Frosted to Darley’s Greentree training center in Saratoga and the homebred millionaire became part of the string overseen by the trainer’s brother Neal and sister-in-law Trish.
The plan was the Jim Dandy and Travers, two races the trainer swept in 2012 with Alpha.
The son of Tapit trained on the Greentree synthetic surface and start-ed breezing in early July after the Saratoga main track opened. Frost-ed worked four times leading up to the Jim Dandy, including a half-mile tightener last Saturday in :47.95.
“He’s been doing great. I came back and forth a lot since he’s been up here,” McLaughlin said. “He’s been doing well and right now we don’t want any changes, just keep him happy and healthy and working weekly.”
The complexion of the Jim Dandy field was in flux almost from the moment the race was drawn Wednesday. Tekton was entered in Saturday’s $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer and Fri-day’s Curlin at Saratoga, where he finished second to Smart Transition.
Multiple Grade 2 winner Upstart, who hasn’t raced since finish-ing 18th in the Kentucky Derby, was entered in the Jim Dandy and Has-
kell and trainer Rick Violette indicat-ed Friday he’d run the son of Flatter at Monmouth. Competitive Edge was also entered in the Jim Dandy and Haskell, and it appears Todd Pletcher will also send him to the Jersey Shore.
If that scenario holds there will be four starters in the Jim Dandy – Frost-ed, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red, Easy Goer winner Japan and longshot Frammento.
Barry Schwartz’s Japan could wind up as lone speed in the Jim Dandy. The son of Medaglia d’Oro raced close to the pace in his maiden win two starts back going 1 1/16 miles around two turns April 30 at Churchill Downs and in his win in the Easy Goer at the same distance around one turn in the Belmont Day opening race.
“He’s training very well. I’ll tell you what, he works good on the dirt. He works like a good horse,” trainer Bill Mott said. “The way he does it, the finish, the gallop out. He’s very steady. He’ll work five-eigths of a mile and gallop out really well. He’s quite impressive.
“By now, he has the foundation in him. I think he’s ready to give it a try. I don’t think it’s premature at all. Win, lose or draw, at least in my mind, he’s ready for it. He’s been maturing each race, he was very studdish in the pad-dock but it seems like he’s getting less distracted and more focused on what he’s supposed to be doing.”
Additional reporting by Sean Clancy.
Jim Dandy – Continued from page 14
Tod MarksEntered in the Jim Dandy, Competitive Edge may wait for Sun-day’s Haskell at Monmouth Park.
17Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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BY TERESA GENAROIn the summer of 2014, The Big
Beast became a Big Presence on the Saratoga backstretch. At Tony Dutrow’s barn under the trees of Horse Haven, he amused and enter-tained visitors, rearing up to nearly tyrannosaurus rexian proportions, determined to live up to his name.
He is still, said Dutrow, The Big Beast, but now 4, he’s also beginning to mellow.
“He’s matured,” he said. “But he’s still got plenty of energy.”
That energy served The Big Beast well last summer, when he won an al-lowance here by open lengths before taking the Grade 1 King’s Bishop by a neck for his first graded stakes win.
A bone chip kept the son of Yes It’s True sidelined through the fall, and he came back from his winter layoff to win an Oaklawn Park allowance be-
fore faltering in his stakes return, fin-ishing fourth in the Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct.
“I was very disappointed with that,” said Dutrow. “No disrespect to the horses in the race, but I thought the horse went into the race very good. I didn’t see the performance I thought I was going to see.”
A minor foot abscess forced Dutrow to scratch The Big Beast from the Belmont Sprint Championship in July, but aside from that hiccup, the big bay is doing great.
“I think he’s at his very best, and I don’t see why he wouldn’t run to the best of his ability,” Dutrow said.
The Big Beast is owned by Alex and Joann Lieblong, who purchased
Tod MarksThe Big Beast returns to the scene of his win in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop last year.
VANDERBILT PREVIEW
Still Big, not so BeastlyDutrow’s G1 winner returns to Spa
See VANDERBILT page 20
19Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
Why Sell Anywhere Else?Why Sell Anywhere Else?
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K E E N E L A N D THE WORLD IS COMING
Following the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Keeneland
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20 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
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him as a 2-year-old for $150,000. He’ll break from post six under John Velazquez as the 4-1 third choice.
Salutos Amigos, the 5-2 second choice, will try to get a second winning streak going after finishing eighth in the Dubai Golden Shaheen to stop him at four wins in a row. Despite conven-tional wisdom that horses don’t rebound well after making that trip, the 5-year-old gelding came right back to win the Mr. Prospector at Monmouth Park in June.
“I think he enjoyed the trip to Dubai almost as much as I did,” said trainer David Jacobson with a smile, standing outside his Clare Court barn. “I’m look-ing forward to going back there next year. I wouldn’t hesitate to go.”
Jacobson attributes Salutos Amigos’ poor performance at Meydan to what he called an “unusual breathing problem” that was treated with antibiotics at the Cornell Ruffian Equine Specialists hos-pital near Belmont Park.
“It would have happened if he were in New York or California,” said Jacob-son. “It had nothing to do with being in Dubai.”
Jacobson owns Salutos Amigos in partnership with Michael Moreno’s Southern Equine Stables, their first ven-ture together and one the trainer sees as the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
“We plan to do a lot of big things in the future,” said Jacobson. “Right now, I have three horses for him.”
Salutos Amigos ran second in an al-lowance-optional claimer here last year, his best finish in three lifetime Saratoga starts.
“It’s a tough race,” said Jacobson of the Vanderbilt, in which regular rider Cornelio Velasquez gets the call. “But he’ll run good and with a little luck, we can win it.”
Trainer Ian Wilkes will try to get a win for Saratoga’s Marylou Whitney with her homebred Viva Majorca, cut-ting back to 6 furlongs after his route attempts in the Curlin and the Travers last summer.
“He’s a one-turn horse,” said Wilkes. “He’s very talented, and I think he’s still learning and improving. He’s still getting it all together.”
In his stall Friday morning, the 4-year-old son of Tiago and the Cape Town mare Quick Town showed off his ebullient side, grabbing a towel hung de-liberately over his webbing to play with.
Vanderbilt – Continued from page 18
See VANDERBILT page 22 Tod Marks
Riding a five-race winning streak, Rock Fall attacks some hay at the barn.
21Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt Jr.Today, a stakes run in his honor.
Next week, induction into the National Racing Museum Hall of Fame as a Pillar of the Turf.
In Maryland, he established Sagamore Farm as one of the world’s finest breeding, training and stallion operations. The lasting impact of his breeding program is still evident in today’s prominent bloodlines. He owned Pimlico Race Course, with his efforts promoting racing in
the Old Line State culminating in the famous Sea Biscuit–War Admiral match race.
Discovery • Bed o’ Roses • Now What • Petrify • Next Move • Native Dancer
“He loved being a horseman and he was respected by other horsemen, by his peers, and I think that was what meant the most to him.” Alfred G. Vanderbilt III
Read the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred’s feature story in our current issue at
MidAtlanticTB.com
22 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
Swinging the toy wildly for attention before dropping it, he looked expec-tantly at a visitor, clearly waiting for it to be picked up.
Wilkes began training for Whitney several years ago and acknowledges that it would be pretty special to win a race here with one of her homebred horses. He also appreciates the prag-matic approach she and husband John Hendrickson take with their horses.
“He hadn’t won a stakes race, and we have too many bad studs out there,” said Wilkes of the decision to geld the horse. “John and Marylou said, ‘Let’s make a racehorse. We can keep him around and have some fun with him.’ ”
Invoking famed geldings John Henry and Lava Man, Wilkes went on, “Wouldn’t that be fun? That’s what this game needs.”
Viva Majorca comes to the Vander-bilt off a win in the Kelly’s Landing at Churchill Downs in June. At 15-1 on the morning line, he breaks from post five for Julien Leparoux.
Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out 2-1 favorite Rock Hall, undefeated in his last five starts, his lone loss com-ing in his first start. By Speightstown out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Renda, the dark bay/brown colt was purchased by Stonestreet Stables as a yearling for $250,000 at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. He finished eighth in his debut last April, but hasn’t lost since, includ-ing an easy win in the Grade 2 True North last out at Belmont June 5.
With Javier Castellano, the speedy Rock Fall will likely have to contend with the front-running Favorite Tale at some point. Trained by Guadalupe Preciado and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., the Pennsylvania-bred won the Grade 2 Smile Sprint at Gulfstream Park July 5 after finishing fifth behind the favorite in the True North.
Up Hill Stable’s Clearly Now, com-ing off a second in the Belmont Sprint Championship in early July, breaks from post four under Luis Saez for trainer Brian Lynch. Trainer Al Stall’s Claiborne Farm homebred Departing, who broke a six-race losing streak in the Grade 2 Firecracker on turf at Churchill Downs in June, completes the field from the inside post at 20-1.
Vanderbilt – Continued from page 20
G2 Jim Dandy S. winners
24 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
POCAHONTAS (GII)2015 “Win and You’re In Juvenile Fillies Division”
2016 Kentucky Oaks Points Race
Runs Sat., Sept. 12$200,000Fillies, Two Years Old
Closes Aug. 26($200 nomination fee)1 1/16 Miles
IROQUOIS (GIII)2015 “Win and You’re In Juvenile Division”
2016 Kentucky Derby Points Race
Runs Sat., Sept. 12$150,000Two Year Olds
Closes Aug. 26($150 nomination fee)1 1/16 Miles
LOCUST GROVE (Listed)
Runs Sat., Sept. 12$100,000Fillies & Mares, Three Years Old & Up
Closes Aug. 26($100 nomination fee) 1 1/16 Miles
OPEN MIND
Runs Sat., Sept. 12$100,000Fillies & Mares, Three Years Old & Up
Closes Aug. 26($100 nomination fee)6 Furlongs
DOGWOOD (GIII)
Runs Sat., Sept. 19$100,000Fillies, Three Years Old
Closes Sept. 2($100 nomination fee)7 Furlongs
ACK ACK HANDICAP (GIII)
Runs Sat., Sept. 26$100,000Three Year Olds & Up
Closes Sept. 9($100 nomination fee)1 Mile
LUKAS CLASSIC (Listed)
Runs Sat., Sept. 26$175,000Three Year Olds & Up
Closes Sept. 9($175 nomination fee) 1 1/8 Mile
JEFFERSON CUP (GIII)
Runs Sat., Sept. 26$100,000Three Year Olds
Closes Sept. 9($100 nomination fee) 1 Mile Turf
2015 September Meet Stakes Schedule
September 11 - 27
Ben Huffman Racing Secretary: 502.638.3820 • [email protected] Bork Stakes Coordinator: 502.638.3806 • [email protected]: 502.636.4479
BY TOM LAWPaul Hanifl came to Mike Tom-
linson late last summer, told him his budget and asked if the veteran horse-man could find him a horse to have some fun.
Tomlinson, based in Kentucky at Churchill Downs for most of the year when he’s not wintering in South Florida, started the hunt right around the time Barbados was starting his career. Three months and three starts later, Barbados was among the horses in training that WinStar was selling at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Tomlinson found Hanifl and his wife Suzanne their horse.
“It was last August, they gave me a budget and I still haven’t spent all of it,” Tomlinson said Friday morning, just after Barbados trained before the break on the Saratoga Race Course’s
main track. “They wanted a good horse, we found Barbados, bought him and believe it or not we’re still looking. Hopefully we can find some-thing else, too.”
Barbados, one of the main con-tenders in today’s Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga, earned back some of the $340,000 the Hanifls spent on the Speightstown colt at Keeneland with back-to-back victories in Janu-ary in the Spectacular Bid and Grade 3 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park. He’s 7-2 on the morning line for the 6 ½-furlong Amsterdam behind 5-2 favorite Holy Boss and 3-1 sec-ond choice March.
Barbados comes into the Amster-dam off a second in the Grade 3 Car-
Connie BushBarbados gallops on the main track Friday.
AMSTERDAM PREVIEW
New ShooterBarbados brings connections to Saratoga for the first time
See AMSTERDAM page 25
25Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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ry Back on the July 5 Summit of Speed card at Gulfstream. Tomlinson thinks the colt might have been compromised a bit in that race by a speed-favoring racetrack, but he was also coming back off more than five months on the side-lines.
The break was forced right when things were rolling for Barbados. He came out of the Hutcheson with a small chip in the upper joint of his left knee and it needed to be surgically removed. The chip was taken out at Rood and Riddle Equine Medical Center in Lex-ington by respected surgeon Dr. Larry Bramlage, who told Tomlinson that it was a “pristine chip” since it was re-moved cleanly and without much dam-age to any cartilage.
Barbados rehabbed back at Win-Star Farm in Versailles, Ky., where he spent time after he was purchased for $230,000 as a 2-year-old in training at the 2014 Keeneland April sale.
“The knee has responded very well. Dr. Bramlage predicted that,” Tomlin-son said. “He said if you have to have a chip that it was in a good spot, up-per joint. Everything’s good now, but anytime you have to do any kind of in-vasive surgery on a joint it takes some rehab. We sent him to WinStar, got him in the Aquatred (underwater treadmill) and in the cold water spa there and since then everything has just gone ac-cording to plan.”
Barbados has trained well since ar-riving in Saratoga early Tuesday morn-ing, going to the track daily for strong gallops with veteran freelance exercise rider Lorna Chavez. He looked ready to go Friday morning, breaking off quickly from the pony at the 6-furlong pole before settling into a slightly easier rhythm around the far turn and through the lane. He pulled up well just past the same spot and walked back alongside the pony, as calm Friday morning as he was grazing in the grass behind Barclay Tagg’s barn.
Tomlinson, watching from the gap near the Morning Line Kitchen with his wife Vicki and assistant Billy Lawson, liked what he saw. Back at the barn, Tomlinson and Lawson played the roles of hotwalker and groom, visited with a friend or two that passed and
Amsterdam – Continued from page 24
See AMSTERDAM page 26
26 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
met briefly with agent Richard DePass and jockey Luis Saez, who rode Barbados in the Gulfstream races and will ride again in the Amsterdam.
“This horse, the first day we shipped in he was a little knocked out but the next day he was a mon-ster,” Lawson said. “He loves it here. The girl that gets on him for us, Lorna, she said he just skips over the track. This track can be pretty heavy on a horse from what I’ve heard over the years but he seems to be liking it.”
Barbados will carry co-top weight of 123 pounds in the Amsterdam, the same as Grade 2 Woody Ste-phens winner March. They’ll give weight to the other five entered, all who have won or placed in non-graded stakes winners.
Tomlinson said he wasn’t overly concerned with the weights, saying if Barbados is as good as ad-vertised he’ll be able to overcome the concessions. He’s been just about perfect for Suzanne Stables and Tomlinson and is 3-for-4 running on dirt after opening his career with two close losses on extend-ed turf sprints at Kentucky Downs.
“This horse has been really fun and it was really sweet to get the opportunity to have an owner say go buy me a horse. Go find one, pick him out,”
Amsterdam – Continued from page 25
Sunrise Stallions – Standing dual classic winner and champion Big Brown and Heavy Breathing at Dutchess Views Farm in Pine Plains, N.Y.; and Frost Giant at Keane Stud in Amenia, N.Y.
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Sunrise StallionsBig Brown • Frost Giant • Heavy Breathing
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Good luck to everyone at Saratoga!
Tod MarksA winner here last summer, Requite enters the Amsterdam off back-to-back wins at Gulfstream Park for George Weaver.See AMSTERDAM page 27
27Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
Tomlinson said. “We’ve been extreme-ly lucky for Paul. He was partners with a gentleman that I have 10 or 12 horses for, Vince Foglia, who has Patri-cia’s Hope Stable. They were partners originally and that’s who we bought a horse named Casino Evil for. He won the Schaefer Mile, Round Table. We bought him for $65,000 and he went on to make $350,000. I claimed a horse for him at Keeneland, an Alphabet Soup horse that came back and won a couple hundred thousand. We’ve been lucky together and hopefully the streak will continue.”
Three of the other Amsterdam en-trants bring streaks of their own into today’s race. Holy Boss has the longest win streak of the trio, three straight, including back-to-back victories in the Bachelor at Oaklawn and the Chick Lang at Pimlico for trainer Steve As-mussen. The son of Street Boss is the stamp of his sire, a graded stakes-win-ning son of Street Cry who stands at Darley. Ricardo Santana Jr. gets the re-turn call.
March brings a two-race win streak to the Amsterdam, the Woody Ste-phens and the Grade 3 Bay Shore at Aqueduct for trainer Chad Brown. The son of Blame sports a 3-for-5 record for Robert LaPenta.
Requite comes in off back-to-back wins in an allowance-optional in ear-ly May and the Big Cypress Handicap in early June, both at Gulfstream, for George Weaver. The son of Warrior’s Reward broke his maiden in his de-but last summer at Saratoga and was fourth in the Grade 1 Hopeful.
Victory Is Sweet, runner-up in the Chick Lang and an allowance winner last time out at Belmont for Michelle Nevin, and Bluegrass Singer, the most experienced member of the field with 14 starts for Marcus Vitali, complete the field.
Amsterdam – Continued from page 26
thisishorseracing.com
28 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
BY SEAN CLANCYShug McGaughey will meet John
Velazquez in the paddock for today’s Bowling Green, the two Hall of Fam-ers will shake hands and talk. But it won’t be about how to ride Imagining.
“I won’t say anything to him. He knows him,” McGaughey said Friday morning. “Training him, I just try to stay out of his way, same thing riding him.”
Imagining, 7, makes his 25th ca-reer start in the Grade 2 turf stakes. The son of Giant’s Causeway seeks his 10th win, two of those were with Velazquez. They won an allowance race back in 2012, finished sixth in the Turf Classic in 2013, won the Bowl Game in their next start, fin-ished sixth in last year’s Manhattan and finished fifth in their most recent try in the United Nations.
For a change, Velazquez returned perplexed after their 3-length defeat behind Big Blue Kitten at Monmouth Park.
“Johnny said he was sitting on a ton of horse at the three-eighths pole,” McGaughey said. “In fact the horse that was sitting next to him, (Gary) Stevens was on him and he was asking so Johnny thought he’d wait a little longer, then he sort of flat-tened out for some reason.”
McGaughey thinks he learned why. “He came back and popped a lit-
tle bit of a quarter crack, I’m hoping that was it. I patched it and he seems good,” McGaughey said. “He’s very Tod Marks
Imagining seeks his 10th career win in the Bowling Green.
BOWLING GREEN PREVIEW
Old FriendsImagining, McGaughey, Velazquez team up in Grade 2
See BOWLING GREEN page 29
29Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
BonaVenture Stables
good. He breezed very good here. He came out it very good. He loves this kind of weather. He’s run good up here the three times we’ve run up here.”
Imagining ripped 4 furlongs in 46 3/5 seconds over the Oklahoma turf Monday. Imagining offers Velazquez options. He used speed to win the Man O’ War last spring and to just miss in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer last summer, when he lost a tough photo to eventual champion Main Sequence. This winter, Imagining came from off the pace to garner the Pan American at Gulfstream Park.
“When he gets in a jumble, that’s what he doesn’t like. He had the 1 in the Man O’ War this year, he doesn’t break real fast, the 2 and 3 came over on him, he checked out of there, then could never get out,” McGaughey said. “There’s a little bit of speed in there, I think he’s better if you have him back. Last year, he was sitting close. That race against Main Sequence, look how fast they were going, I thought he won.”
Imagining posted 4 furlongs in 47.15 and a 6 furlongs in 1:12.6 going 12 furlongs last summer, before succumbing to Main Sequence’s last gasp at the wire.
Imagining has mellowed, some, over the years.“He’s changed a lot. He’s a lot easier to handle
now than he was, he used to get stirred up in the
paddock, two years ago in the paddock, that son of a gun was rough,” McGaughey said. “He’s a lot better now. I like to see him geared up in there, just not over the top.”
As Imagining tries to recapture, or at least main-tain, his best form, favorite Innovation Economy rolls in on the crest of a three-race win streak for Klaravich Stable and William Lawrence. Trained by Chad Brown, the son of Dynaformer won a first-level allowance at Aqueduct in November, a second-level allowance at Keeneland in April and the Belmont Gold Cup in June.
Bill Mott entered War Dancer and Al Khali for the Bowling Green. Mott took over War Danc-er from Ken McPeek who saddled the son of War Front for four wins including a score in the Louis-ville Handicap last spring. Owned by Diamond M Stable, War Dancer makes his fourth start for Mott, after finishing third in an allowance race on the dirt at Keeneland, second, beaten a neck by Twilight Eclipse, in the Man O’ War in May and sixth in the the Grade 1 Manhattan. In his most recent start, War Dancer led early before fading to sixth, 3 ¾ lengths behind Slumber on Belmont Stakes Day.
“We’ve run him a couple of times in New York, it was very good effort the first time and his last race wasn’t bad,” Mott said. “He just needs a good trip and he probably has to step forward from his last race, but he’s consistent and I think he’ll give us a good effort.”
Al Khali makes his third start off a nearly two-year layoff for Brous Stable and Wachtel Stable.
The 9-year-old owns eight wins and over $1 million in earnings but hasn’t won a race since taking an allowance at Tampa Bay Downs in March, 2013. Manny Franco is named on the son of Medaglia d’Oro, who won the Bowling Green at Belmont Park in 2010 over Winchester and Simmard.
“He’s doing great, he’s sound, he had some minor issues that’s why he was off, he had some splints, not serious stuff, just took some time,” Mott said. “The reason for running, he just loves his job. Do we think we’re holding the gun on anybody in the Bowling Green? Probably not. But, we just want to give him a chance.”
Todd Pletcher switches Twin Creeks Racing Sta-ble’s Red Rifle back to the turf after venturing to Woodbine to take the Grade 3 Dominion Day on Polytrack. The 5-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway has notched three wins on the dirt, two on synthet-ic and one on the turf in his 18-race career. Iron Power adds to the pace column for Barry Schwartz, Christophe Clement and Jose Ortiz. The 5-year-old son of Mizzen Mast broke out of the allowance division with a wire-to-wire score at the Bowling Green distance in his most recent start.
Morning Calm exits the Belmont Gold Cup where he finished 4 ¾ lengths behind Innovation Economy. Dallas Stewart adds blinkers on Golden Soul, who tries to snap a five-race losing streak. Steve Asmussen unveils Dramedy. The 6-year-old son of Distorted Humor exits the barn of Gerald Aschinger, who produced two wins from eight starts.
Bowling Green – Continued from page 28
30 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
Saturday, August 1.
1ST (1:00PM). $59,000, CLM $35,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 1 1/2M (INNER TURF)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Pic 5, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Shetan ............................ K. Carmouche .................. E. Voss ....................... 12-12 ..... 2 ............Special Agent ................. A. Cruz ............................. G. Contessa ................ 15-13 ..... 3 ............Sharp Omar .................... I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ J. Toscano, Jr. .............. 7-24 ..... MTO ......Tizmas............................ J. Alvarado ...................... J. Servis ....................... 7-55 ..... 5 ............Coturnix ......................... A. Cintron ........................ D. Smithwick, Jr. .......... 3-16 ..... 6 ............Cozy Kitten ..................... J. Castellano .................... M. Maker ...................... 5-27 ..... 7 ............Midnight Notes .............. J. Leparoux ...................... M. Maker ...................... 5-18 ..... 8 ............Dreams Cut Short .......... J. Rosario ........................ G. Contessa .................. 8-19 ..... 9 ............Best Play ........................ E. Cancel .......................... L. Miranda .................. 20-1
2ND (1:35PM). $83,000, MSW, 2 YO, 6FExacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Pic 4, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Tricky Citizen .................. C. Velasquez .................... M. Nevin ..................... 12-12 ..... 2 ............Czarmo ........................... L. Saez ............................. G. Contessa ................ 20-13 ..... 3 ............Remarkable Tale ............. J. Ortiz ............................. K. Breen ....................... 6-14 ..... 4 ............Sawyers Mickey ............. J. Leparoux ...................... S. Asmussen ................ 5-15 ..... 5 ............Sticksstatelydude ........... J. Rosario ........................ K. McLaughlin .............. 2-16 ..... 6 ............Conquest Nitro ............... S. Bridgmohan ................ M. Casse .................... 10-17 ..... 7 ............Abbot ............................. I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ C. Clement.................... 8-18 ..... 8 ............Isotherm ........................ M. Franco ........................ G. Weaver................... 15-19 ..... 9 ............Giant Run ....................... J. Alvarado ...................... T. Albertrani ................ 20-110..... 10 ..........Ready Dancer ................. J. Velazquez ..................... T. Pletcher .................... 4-1
3RD (2:09PM). $85,000, ALW, 3 YO’S & UP, 6FExacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Waco .............................. E. Cancel .......................... H. Bond ...................... 10-12 ..... 2 ............Loose On the Town ........ J. Lezcano ....................... B. Lynch ....................... 5-13 ..... 3 ............Knuckle Curve ................ C. Velasquez .................... M. Nevin ....................... 5-24 ..... 4 ............Pow Wow Pal ................. R. Hernandez ................... W. Ward ..................... 12-15 ..... 5 ............Delta Outlaw ................... I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ G. Weaver..................... 8-16 ..... 6 ............First Down ...................... C. DeCarlo ....................... T. Albertrani .................. 5-17 ..... 7 ............Political Justice .............. J. Castellano .................... M. Maker ...................... 8-18 ..... 8 ............Roll Tide Roll.................. J. Velazquez ..................... T. Pletcher .................... 3-1
4TH (2:42PM). $83,000, MSW, 3 YO’S & UP, F & M , 1 1/16M (TURF)Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Nothingbutthetruth ......... L. Saez ............................. T. Albertrani .................. 8-12 ..... 2 ............Sophronia ...................... S. Bridgmohan ................ L. Becdelamotte ......... 30-13 ..... 3 ............Future Show ................... A. Cintron ........................ H. Motion ..................... 5-14 ..... 4 ............Strong Incentive ............. J. Castellano .................... C. Brown ...................... 3-15 ..... 5 ............Vouch for Kitten ............. J. Rosario ........................ W. Ward ....................... 5-26 ..... 6 ............Coming Attraction .......... J. Velazquez ..................... C. McGaughey III ......... 6-17 ..... 7 ............Mama Tembu ................. I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ T. Pletcher .................... 6-18 ..... 8 ............Lightning Rosie .............. J. Leparoux ...................... T. Bush ....................... 20-19 ..... 9 ............Trensita .......................... R. Hernandez ................... M. Matz ...................... 10-1
5TH (3:17PM). $200,000, STK - THE AMSTERDAM, 3 YO, 6 1/2FExacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Requite ........................... J. Castellano .................... G. Weaver..................... 5-12 ..... 2 ............Bluegrass Singer ............ J. Lezcano ....................... M. Vitali ...................... 20-13 ..... 3 ............March ............................. I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ C. Brown ...................... 3-14 ..... 4 ............Victory Is Sweet ............. J. Ortiz ............................. M. Nevin ....................... 5-15 ..... 5 ............Barbados ........................ L. Saez ............................. M. Tomlinson ............... 7-26 ..... 6 ............The Great War ................ J. Rosario ........................ W. Ward ..................... 10-17 ..... 7 ............Holy Boss ....................... R. Santana, Jr. ................. S. Asmussen ................ 5-2
6TH (4:03PM). $85,000, ALW, 3 YO, 1M (INNER TURF)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Pic 6, Daily Double1 ..... 11 ..........Curlino ........................... S. Bridgmohan ................ M. Casse .................... 12-11a .... AE..........Moonlight Bandit ............ J. Leparoux ...................... M. Casse .................... 12-12 ..... 1 ............Tiz Town ......................... M. Franco ........................ I. Wilkes ..................... 15-13 ..... 2 ............Furyofthenorsemen ........ A. Arroyo ......................... S. Klesaris .................. 15-14 ..... 3 ............Overcontrol .................... J. Velazquez ..................... T. Pletcher .................... 6-15 ..... 4 ............Rock Eagle ..................... A. Cruz ............................. B. Tagg ....................... 12-16 ..... 5 ............Johnson City Kid ............ A. Cintron ........................ H. Motion ................... 10-17 ..... 6 ............Dreaming of Gold ........... J. Castellano .................... M. Maker ...................... 3-18 ..... 7 ............Almasty .......................... L. Saez ............................. B. Cox ........................ 30-19 ..... 8 ............Lone Trader .................... J. Ortiz ............................. M. Hushion .................. 8-110..... 9 ............Wayward Kitten .............. R. Hernandez ................... W. Ward ....................... 5-111..... 10 ..........Jack Tripp....................... J. Leparoux ...................... D. Romans ................. 20-112..... 12 ..........My Team ........................ J. Lezcano ....................... H. Motion ..................... 4-113..... AE..........Gustnado ....................... J. Rosario ........................ W. Mott ........................ 8-114..... AE..........Security Risk .................. J. Velazquez ..................... C. McGaughey III ......... 7-2
7TH (4:38PM). $85,000, ALW, 3 YO’S & UP, 1 3/16M (TURF)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Generous Kitten ............. J. Rosario ........................ M. Maker .................... 15-12 ..... 2 ............Fire Away ....................... J. Velazquez ..................... C. McGaughey III ......... 5-13 ..... 3 ............Orange Grove (GB) ......... J. Alvarado ...................... W. Mott ........................ 6-14 ..... 4 ............Dynamic Decision .......... J. Leparoux ...................... M. Casse ...................... 6-15 ..... 5 ............Go Around ...................... J. Lezcano ....................... W. Mott ........................ 9-26 ..... 6 ............Ocean Telegraph............. L. Saez ............................. T. Albertrani ................ 15-17 ..... 7 ............Codrington College (IRE) C. Velasquez .................... J. Sheppard ................ 20-18 ..... 8 ............Sheldon .......................... E. Trujillo ......................... J. Toner ...................... 20-19 ..... 9 ............Request .......................... I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ C. Brown ...................... 4-110..... 10 ..........Team Colors ................... J. Castellano .................... J. Jerkens ................... 10-111..... 11 ..........Make a Decision ............. J. Ortiz ............................. L. Rice ........................ 10-112..... 12 ..........Macagone ...................... S. Bridgmohan ................ M. Nihei ...................... 12-113..... AE..........Grey Wizard ................... J. Castellano .................... C. Brown ...................... 5-114..... AE..........Great Dancer (IRE) ......... K. Carmouche .................. J. Lawrence, II ............ 20-115..... MTO ......Wizardly ......................... . ...................................... S. Asmussen ................ 3-116..... MTO ......Village Warrior ............... . ...................................... T. Pletcher .................... 5-2
8TH (5:14PM). $350,000, STK - THE ALFRED G. VANDERBILT, 3 YO’S & UP, 6FExacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Pic 4, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Departing ....................... J. Rosario ........................ A. Stall, Jr. .................. 20-12 ..... 2 ............Salutos Amigos .............. C. Velasquez .................... D. Jacobson ................. 5-23 ..... 3 ............Rock Fall ........................ J. Castellano .................... T. Pletcher .................... 2-14 ..... 4 ............Clearly Now .................... L. Saez ............................. B. Lynch ....................... 8-15 ..... 5 ............Viva Majorca .................. J. Leparoux ...................... I. Wilkes ..................... 15-16 ..... 6 ............The Big Beast ................. J. Velazquez ..................... A. Dutrow ..................... 4-17 ..... 7 ............Favorite Tale ................... I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ G. Preciado .................. 5-1
9TH (5:50PM). $250,000, STK - THE BOWLING GREEN, 4 YO’S & UP, 1 3/8M (INNER TURF)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Red Rifle ........................ J. Castellano .................... T. Pletcher .................... 5-12 ..... 2 ............War Dancer .................... J. Lezcano ....................... W. Mott ........................ 7-23 ..... 3 ............Imagining ....................... J. Velazquez ..................... C. McGaughey III ......... 3-14 ..... 4 ............Iron Power ..................... J. Ortiz ............................. C. Clement.................. 15-15 ..... 5 ............Morning Calm ................ J. Alvarado ...................... M. Nihei ...................... 15-16 ..... 6 ............Golden Soul ................... S. Bridgmohan ................ D. Stewart .................. 12-17 ..... 7 ............Innovation Economy ...... I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ C. Brown ...................... 5-28 ..... 8 ............Dramedy ........................ J. Rosario ........................ S. Asmussen .............. 10-19 ..... 9 ............Al Khali ........................... C. DeCarlo ....................... W. Mott ...................... 20-1
SARATOGA ENTRIES
March
31Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
10TH (6:25PM). $600,000, STK - THE JIM DANDY, 3 YO, 1 1/8MExacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Frammento ..................... J. Lezcano ....................... N. Zito ........................ 20-12 ..... 2 ............Japan ............................. J. Alvarado ...................... W. Mott ...................... 10-13 ..... 3 ............Texas Red....................... K. Desormeaux ................ J. Desormeaux ............. 7-24 ..... 4 ............Upstart ........................... I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ R. Violette, Jr. ............... 3-15 ..... 5 ............Competitive Edge ........... J. Velazquez ..................... T. Pletcher .................... 4-16 ..... 6 ............Tekton ............................ A. Cintron ........................ A. Dutrow ................... 10-17 ..... 7 ............Frosted ........................... J. Rosario ........................ K. McLaughlin .............. 2-1
11TH (6:59PM). $75,000, ALW, 3 YO’S & UP, 5 1/2F (TURF)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta1 ..... 3 ............Dark Roast ..................... E. Cancel .......................... R. Cash ........................ 5-11a .... 6 ............Secured Position ............ A. Arroyo ......................... R. Cash ........................ 5-12 ..... 1 ............Rico Capote .................... J. Castellano .................... C. Englehart .................. 8-13 ..... 2 ............Unrepenting ................... C. Velasquez .................... L. Rice ........................ 12-14 ..... 4 ............Banana Thief .................. S. Bridgmohan ................ S. Asmussen ................ 4-15 ..... 5 ............Slimshady ...................... J. Leparoux ...................... L. O’Brien ................... 30-16 ..... 7 ............Pegasus Red .................. J. Ortiz ............................. M. Nevin ....................... 6-17 ..... 8 ............Shinnecock Bay .............. J. Alvarado ...................... T. Albertrani ................ 20-18 ..... 9 ............Tax Package ................... I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ C. Brown ...................... 7-29 ..... 10 ..........Draft Day ........................ A. Cruz ............................. J. Terranova, II ............. 4-110..... 11 ..........El Viejo Verde ................. K. Carmouche .................. D. Cannizzo ................ 20-111..... 12 ..........Bajan Summer ............... L. Saez ............................. G. Sciacca .................. 15-112..... MTO ......Giantinthemoonlite ......... . ...................................... B. Brown ...................... 3-113..... MTO ......H Man ............................ K. Carmouche .................. D. Cannizzo ................ 12-114..... MTO ......Watergate ....................... J. Velazquez ..................... R. Schosberg ............. 15-115..... MTO ......Fit to Keep ...................... A. Cruz ............................. E. Barker .................... 20-1
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32 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
grid
the Power
Race #
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
91011
TizmasCoturnix
Cozy KittenSticksstatleydude
Ready DancerSawyers MickeyKnuckle CurveRoll Tide Roll
Loose On The TownStrong Incentive
Future ShowVouch For Kitten
Holy BossMarch
BarbadosDreaming Of Gold
OvercontrolMy Team
Village WarriorRequest
Fire AwayRock Fall
Salutos AmigosFavorite Tale
Innovation EconomyImagining Red RifleTexas Red
FrostedUpstart
Tax PackageBanana ThiefRico Capote
Cozy KittenCoturnix
Midnight NotesConquest Nitro
SticksstatelydudeSawyers Mickey
Roll Tide RollPolitical Justice
First DownVouch For KittenStrong IncentiveLightning Rosie
BarbadosMarch
Holy BossWayward Kitten
My TeamLone Trader
Orange GroveTeam Colors
Dynamic DecisionThe Big Beast
Rock FallDepartingImagining
Innovation EconomyWar Dancer
FrostedJapan
Texas RedDraft Day
Banana ThiefDark Roast
Coturnix Tizmas
Midnight Notes Sticksstatelysude Remarkable Tale Conquest Nitro Roll Tide Roll
Loose On The Town Knuckle Curve Future Show
Vouch For Kitten Trensita
Barbados March
Holy Boss Security Risk
Dreaming Of Gold My Team
Go Around Fire Away Request Rock Fall
The Big Beast Salutos Amigos
Innovation Economy Imagining
War Dancer Frosted
Texas Red Japan
Cash entry Draft Day
Banana Thief
Tizmas Dreams Cut Short
Coturnix Sticksstatelydude Remarkable Tale
Czarmo Roll Tide Roll Knuckle Curve Political Justice
Coming Attraction Strong Incentive
Mama Tembu March
Barbados Holy Boss My Team
Rock Eagle Dreaming Of Gold
Wizardly Go Around
Dynamic Decision Salutos AmigosThe Big Beast
Rock Fall Iron Power Imagining Dramedy
Competitive Edge Texas Red
Frosted Watergate
Unrepenting Cash entry
Cozy KittenSharp Omar
Dreams Cut ShortRemarkable TaleReady Dancer
SticksstatelydudeRoll Tide Roll
Loose On The TownKnuckle Curve
Vouch For KittenComing Attraction
Mama TembuHoly Boss
MarchBarbados
OvercontrolMy Team
Dreaming Of GoldRequest
Team ColorsFire AwayRock Fall
The Big BeastSalutos Amigos
War DancerImaginingRed Rifle
JapanTexas Red
FrostedPegasus RedRico CapoteCash entry
2015 Records 17/70 12/70 18/70 12/70 23/70
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34 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
BY TOM LAWJunior Alvarado sensed the moment. Smart
Transition sensed it, too, and responded. In the time it took to run about a sixteenth of a mile, the $100,000 Curlin Stakes was essentially over.
“At the three-eighths pole I was in a pretty nice spot,” Alvarado said after he rode Smart Transition to a 4 ¾-length win in Friday’s feature at Saratoga Race Course. “I know he’s a little bit lazy, so I just wanted to make sure he didn’t fall asleep on me by the time I had to ask him.”
Smart Transition was close to snooze time. Arnold Zetcher’s homebred son of Smart Strike
raced in a perfect stalking position while Battle Midway, Stanford and Tekton banged it out on the front end through strong but not overly fast frac-tions. Battle Midway threw out the anchor first, leaving Smart Transition third but still nearly 2 lengths behind the two leaders entering the far turn.
King Of New York made a sustained run to get closer around the turn and just as he came up to Smart Transition’s right flank Alvarado shook up is mount. He rode him hard to the quarter pole, cracked him once left handed before the stretch and a few more times approaching the eighth pole.
“He didn’t fall asleep. He was there nice for me all the time,” Alvarado said. “On the turn home I put him on the outside, hit him a couple times and he gave me the run I was expecting. By the eighth pole I kind of knew that I had a lot of horse still left there.”
Alvarado knew what Smart Transition’s ped-igree said plain as the good air around Saratoga Springs after the humidity of earlier in the week broke Thursday night.
By one of the world’s best stallions in Smart Strike and out of the Brazilian-bred mare Zardana, who spoiled Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra’s 4-year-old debut back in 2010, Smart Transition was bred to relish the 9-furlong trip.
Smart Transition won going 1 1/16 miles at San-ta Anita Park this spring, but this was a different ask of the well-bred bay colt. He was stretching out even more, around two turns and facing more ac-complished foes that included stakes winner Stan-
ford and the stakes-placed Tekton and Unrivaled. At the eighth pole the winner was the only one
of the six who looked like he wanted the extra dis-tance and despite running greenly down the lane, made it look easy. Tekton hung on well for second, 2 1/2 lengths in front of King Of New York. The final time of 1:50.40 wasn’t overly fast, but in line with the other six additions of the race now used as a Travers prep.
John Shirreffs, who trained Zardana for Zetch-er and also conditions Smart Transition, said he’d give serious consideration for the 1 1/4-mile Tra-vers Aug. 29.
“It depends upon the horse,” Shirreffs said as he made his way to the paddock after the Curlin to saddle the maiden Captain Tim in the fifth race. “A 3-year-old only has so many opportunities to get that golden ring and win one of those wonderful
See CURLIN page 35
Tod MarksSmart Transition (left) powers away late in Friday’s Curlin Stakes to leap into the Travers picture.
Stretch OutstandingSmart Transition overpowers field for first stakes score
CURLIN STAKES RECAP
35Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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embrace The Style.races. You’d hate to be conservative and not give him the opportunity. If it points that way, then you kind of go with it.”
V. E. Day used the Curlin last year as a prep for his win in the Travers, which came at the immediate expense of stablemate and Jim Dandy winner Wicked Strong. Jimmy Jerkens trains V. E. Day and Wicked Strong and he’s stabled in the barn next to Shirreffs on the Oklahoma Training Track. The two aren’t that far away when they’re at Belmont, either.
Shirreffs said he’d chat with Jerk-ens to find out how to get from the Curlin to the Travers, although the veteran’s horsemanship and track re-cord in major stakes was the tell that he was joking. That and the coy grin as he said it to a couple television and newspaper reporters in the clubhouse.
Shirreffs was looking forward to running Smart Transition in the Curl-in, four weeks removed from a fourth behind Speightster, Texas Red and Tommy Macho in the Grade 3 Dwyer on the Stars and Stripes program at Belmont.
That was Smart Transition’s sec-ond start since returning to New York with his trainer’s spring-summer-fall string, after a third going 1 mile in an allowance race Belmont Stakes Day.
Part of his enthusiasm was because Smart Transition is Zardana’s first
foal and part because he knew the colt would relish the extra distance. He’d also seen enough of the races early in the meet, his third full season in Saratoga, to know that the track might play to his colt’s ability to han-dle the ground.
“We wanted a clean trip and we got a clean trip,” Shirreffs said. “We liked the configuration, it was nice where he could run two turns, speed doesn’t get too far away from you. Ju-nior gave him a wonderful ride.
“You can see here, with the long stretch, can’t you really see it a lot, horses getting tired at the end? I’ve watched a few races and some can get really heavy in their feet. They strug-gle home.”
Smart Transition, who trained with Shirreffs in Saratoga as an un-raced 2-year-old last summer, didn’t struggle when he breezed last Sunday or in any of his other gallops on the main track. And he didn’t struggle in the Curlin.
Walking up the horse path back to the paddock, Shirreffs stepped over some of the white plastic chains along the way and summarized succinctly and in a self effacing way what Smart Transition’s win meant.
“That was really special for us,” Shirreffs said of his team. “And (Zetcher) is going to be so happy. He’s a homebred, first foal, out of a nice mare he raced. He’s at home today, probably kicking himself now be-cause he loves the races. It just didn’t work out for him to be here today.”
Curlin – Continued from page 34
Tod MarksJunior Alvarado gives Smart Transition a pat after winning the Curlin.
36 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
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74 BEEKMAN ST.
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SPORTING ARTANTIQUES
Trainer Mark Casse, jockey Julien Leparoux and the 3-year-old filly Diva Express got into the win column in the final race Friday at Saratoga Race Course.
Casse came into the 5 ½-furlong turf maiden winless in nine starts and Leparoux was 0-for-21, but those losing streaks were ended simultaneously as the Afleet Express filly won by 2 ¼ lengths.
“The first win is always good to get as soon as possi-ble,” Leparoux said. “I wish I could get it before, but we get it done today, so that’s good.”
Diva Express, a $260,000 2-year-old in training pur-chase last year for owner John Oxley, entered the race off a distant eighth May 17 at Churchill Downs. That race was at 1 mile on the grass and Leparoux said the turn back made the difference.
“I think the distance, you know? Turning short back,” he said. “That’s what she wanted, to go short.”
Casse said different ground than the yielding turf she encountered last time, along with some extra time helped Diva Express.
“Firmer ground,” he said. “Last time we ran her, we ran her back a little quick and it was soft and she just didn’t like it. So, we gave her a little time and when I worked her the other day, she worked really good. And I wasn’t sure
what she wants, but it looks like she wants to be a little turf sprinter.”
Casse hopes to run Diva Express back later this meet.The ups and downs of racing showed up after the finale
as Casse’s other starter in the race, Zip’s Legacy, fell after the finish line. The City Zip filly got back to her feet and walked off the track under her own power.
“They said she had some trouble with her air and she just couldn’t catch her air,” Casse said. “But she’s ok.”
– Brandon Valvo and Billy Blake
• The odds were in Todd Pletcher’s favor yesterday – literally – as he won races 5, 7 and 9 with Gangster, Ten-nessee and Matterhorn.
First up was Gangster, who led the field of the fifth race gate to wire to break his maiden. The Street Boss colt stretched out to 1 1/8 miles after running fourth in his last start, a 6 ½-furlong maiden race June 27 at Belmont. Gangster, ridden by Jose Ortiz, finished 4 lengths ahead of fellow Pletcher trainee, Indian Trail.
FRIDAY RACING RECAP
Triple FirstsCasse, Leparoux team for first victories of meet
See FRIDAY page 37
Dave HarmonDiva Express surges clear of the field to win Friday’s finale for trainer Mark Casse.
37Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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“They’re two colts that we always liked quite a bit,” Pletch-er said. “I was finally glad to get Gangster stretched out. He trained well for us since winter, so I’m not surprised he did it. Indian Trail, he kind of had a wide trip from a tough post and I thought he ran well. The way (Gangster) trained this winter at Palm Beach Downs, we always felt like the added distance would be good. We needed to start him off sprinting, but once we got that race under his belt, we stretched him out.”
Pletcher nearly won four, but Global Strike was disquali-fied from first to third in the sixth race after stewards said he interfered with third-place Heyaarat in the 1 3/8-mile allow-ance-optional. Da Big Hoss was moved up to first.
Tennessee made amends for the stable when he won the sev-enth, a 7-furlong maiden, in his second start. Matterhorn pol-ished off the day with a win in the ninth, coming off another win in a 1-mile race June 28 at Belmont to win the 1 1/8-mile allowance-optional under Javier Castellano.
“That was good, you know this horse is a horse we’ve al-ways liked and he finally found his groove,” Pletcher said of Matterhorn. “It’s nice to see him develop into the horse we thought he could be. He’s probably earned a step up in class.”
– Annise Montplaisir
• Pure Sensation charged to the lead and repelled the chal-lenge of 10 others to win the eighth race, a 5 ½-furlong al-lowance-optional on the grass. The 4-year-old by Zensation-al zipped through an opening quarter in :21.73 and a half in
:43.94 before going on to his second victory in three starts on the Saratoga grass.
The winner of last year’s Quick Call Stakes, Pure Sensation improved to 3-for-12 lifetime for trainer Christophe Clement and owner/breeder Patricia Generazio.
“When he’s right, he’s very fast,” said Clement, who also won the second with Killarney Rose. “It was a great ride by Joel (Rosario) and it’s nice to have him back.”
Pure Sensation was last seen fading to seventh in an allow-ance-optional going 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt last November at Aqueduct, a race won by eventual Metropolitan Handicap winner Honor Code. He was also gelded during his time away from the races and Clement said it helped.
“We thought it would make him a bit easier being a geld-ing,” Clement said. “We are just trying to bring a bit more consistency.”
– Billy Blake
Friday – Continued from page 36
Saratoga LeadersTRAINERS ............1STTodd Pletcher ..............11Bill Mott ........................6Chad Brown .................4Christophe Clement .......4Jeremiah Englehart .......2Gary Contessa ...............2John Shirreffs ...............2Shug McGaughey ..........2Bobby Dibona ...............2Barclay Tagg ..................2George Weaver..............2
JOCKEYS .............1STJohn Velazquez ...........14Jose Ortiz ......................9Irad Ortiz, Jr. .................7Luis Saez .......................6Junior Alvarado .............6Javier Castellano ...........5Jose Lezcano ................5
Through Friday
Tod MarksKillarney Rose (9) wins a battle in Friday’s eighth.
38 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
SARATOGA RESULTSFriday July 31.
FIRST $50,000, CLAIMING $25,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 5 1/2F4 Great Attack C. Velasquez $8.60 $4.40 $2.901 Partly Mocha J. Velazquez $4.00 $3.003 Strong Impact J. Castellano $3.10B Horse 2007, by Greatness - Cat Attack by Storm CatOwner: Bruce Golden Racing and Katz, Kenneth. Trainer: David Jacobson. Breeder: Edward Seltzer & Murray Durst (FL). Time: 1:02.60Late Scratches: Francis Freud, Ganador, Isthmus, Gentrify, Va BanqueClaimed: Partly Mocha claimed by Ramsey, Kenneth L. and Sarah K. for $25,000Exacta (4-1), $32.00; Superfecta (4-1-3-10), $300.40; Trifecta (4-1-3), $96.00
SECOND $45,000, MAIDEN CLAIMING $40,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 1M9 Killarney Rose J. Rosario $15.20 $7.70 $4.606 Break Away J. Castellano $10.00 $6.001 Violet Road J. Alvarado $7.30B Filly 2011, by Ghostzapper - Koko Pop by A.P. IndyOwner: Highland Yard LLC. Trainer: Christophe Clement. Breeder: Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY).Late Scratches: Pound Sterling, Kitten’s Angel, Antrim Colleen, La Dama de HierroClaimed: Mia and Molly claimed by Faggiani, Paul for $40,000, Hun-dred Year Storm claimed by Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc. for $40,000Time: 1:37.34Daily Double (4-9), $67.00; Exacta (9-6), $102.00; Quinella (6-9), $44.60; Superfecta (9-6-1-7), $9,858.00; Trifecta (9-6-1), $903.00
THIRD $50,000, NY-BRED CLAIMING $25,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 6 1/2F8 Desert Valentine I. Ortiz, Jr. $36.40 $16.40 $9.707 Bridgetta P. Lopez $11.40 $6.606 Champagne Ruby T. Rice $4.70B Filly 2011, by Wild Desert - Jo’s Sunshine by Dixie BrassOwner: Winning Move Stable, Rogers, Ed and Pines Stables. Trainer: Gary Contessa. Breeder: Joe Marx (NY).Late Scratches: Jet MajestyClaimed: Desert Bliss claimed by Blue Stork Stables for $25,000Time: 1:17.19Daily Double (9-8), $242.50; Exacta (8-7), $372.50; Superfecta (8-7-6-1), $13,384.00; Trifecta (8-7-6), $2,272.00; Pic 3 (4-9-8), $1,020.00
FOURTH $100,000, STAKES - CURLIN S., 3 YO, 1 1/8M5 Smart Transition J. Alvarado $6.30 $3.10 $2.803 Tekton A. Cintron $3.40 $2.806 King of New York C. Lanerie $3.90B Colt 2012, by Smart Strike - Zardana (BRZ) by Crimson Tide (IRE)Owner: Zetcher, Arnold. Trainer: John Shirreffs. Breeder: Arnold Zetcher LLC (KY).Late Scratches: Tommy MachoTime: 1:50.40Daily Double (8-5), $149.00; Exacta (5-3), $19.40; Quinella (3-5), $8.60; Superfecta (5-3-6-1), $571.00; Trifecta (5-3-6), $77.50; Pic 3 (9-8-5), $1,116.00
FIFTH $83,000, MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 3 YO’S & UP, 1 1/8M3 Gangster J. Ortiz $44.60 $17.00 $7.908 Indian Trail J. Velazquez $5.50 $4.007 Securitiz I. Ortiz, Jr. $4.90Dk B/ Br Colt 2012, by Street Boss - Miss Isella by Silver CharmOwner: Black Rock Thoroughbreds, LLP. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Breeder: Adena Springs (KY). Time: 1:49.71Daily Double (5-3), $121.00; Exacta (3-8), $181.00; Superfecta (3-8-7-4), $6,742.00; Trifecta (3-8-7), $1,126.00; Pic 3 (8-5-3), $3,267.00; Pic 4 (9-8-5-3), $21,462.00; Pic 5 (4-9-8-5-3), $89,758.00
SIXTH $90,000, AOC $62,500, 3 YO’S & UP, 1 3/8M3 Da Big Hoss I. Ortiz, Jr. $11.40 $6.00 $3.808 Heyaarat J. Rosario $8.50 $5.105 (dq)Global Strike J. Castellano $2.90Ch Colt 2011, by Lemon Drop Kid - Lady Struck Gold by Touch GoldOwner: Skychai Racing LLC. Trainer: Michael Maker. Breeder: Gary & Mary West Stables, Inc. (KY).Late Scratches: Escapefromreality, IndycottClaimed: I’ll Call claimed by Schera, Matthew for $62,500Time: 2:13.90Daily Double (3-3), $222.00; Exacta (3-8), $97.00; Superfecta (3-8-5-4), $2,086.00; Trifecta (3-8-5), $374.00; Pic 3 (5-3-3), $648.00
SEVENTH $83,000, MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 3 YO’S & UP, 7F10 Tennessee J. Velazquez $6.50 $4.90 $3.605 Sharm L. Saez $22.00 $8.001 Street Jersey P. Lopez $5.60Ch Colt 2012, by Giant’s Causeway - Dixie Dreamer by MutakddimOwner: Magnier, Mrs. John, Tabor, Michael and Smith, Derrick. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Breeder: Miklin Stables, Tammar Racing,Lex-ington Racing & Brett Set (KY).Late Scratches: Mountain CryTime: 1:23.02Daily Double (3-10), $45.40; Exacta (10-5), $120.00; Superfecta (10-5-1-2), $2,262.00; Trifecta (10-5-1), $861.00; Pic 3 (3-3-10), $941.00
EIGHTH $90,000, AOC $62,500, 3 YO’S & UP, 5 1/2F9 Pure Sensation J. Rosario $7.20 $4.60 $3.608 Stormy Rocit E. Cancel $10.80 $6.6011 Night Officer J. Lezcano $5.40Gr/ro Gelding 2011, by Zensational - Pure Disco by Disco RicoOwner: Generazio, Patricia, A.. Trainer: Christophe Clement. Breeder: Patricia Generazio (FL).Late Scratches: Sandy’z Slew, Tripski, Nubin RidgeTime: 1:01.31Daily Double (10-9), $26.20; Exacta (9-8), $70.00; Superfecta (9-8-11-4), $4,786.00; Trifecta (9-8-11), $355.00; Pic 3 (3-10-9), $147.00
NINTH $93,000, AOC $80,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 1 1/8M2 Matterhorn J. Castellano $11.60 $4.60 $3.506 Touchofstarquality J. Ortiz $3.60 $3.204 Our Caravan A. Cintron $5.40B Ridgling 2011, by Tapit - Winter Garden by RoyOwner: Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Town and Country Farms, Corp.. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Breeder: Town & Country Farm Corp (KY).Late Scratches: Lucky LottoTime: 1:49.36Daily Double (9-2), $49.40; Exacta (2-6), $41.40; Superfecta (2-6-4-7), $750.00; Trifecta (2-6-4), $196.00; Pic 3 (10-9-2), $143.00; Place Pix Nine (3/5/7/8/10-1/5/10/11-1/6/8/9/1), $116.00
TENTH $83,000, MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 3 YO’S & UP, 5 1/2F1 Diva Express J. Leparoux $24.60 $13.40 $7.403 Zeezee Zoomzoom E. Trujillo $24.20 $12.204 Hardcore R. Hernandez $3.10B Filly 2012, by Afleet Express - Phi Beta Diva by Mr. GreeleyOwner: Oxley, John, C.. Trainer: Mark Casse. Breeder: Martin L. Cherry (KY).Time: 1:02.40Daily Double (2-1), $176.00; Exacta (1-3), $523.00; Superfecta (1-3-4-7), $13,616.00; Trifecta (1-3-4), $2,296.00; Pic 3 (9-2-1), $712.00; Pic 4 (10/11-1/6/9/14-2-1), $2,240.00; Pic 6 (3-3-10/11-1/6/9/14-2-1), $2,517.00
On Track Handle: 4,181,213. Inter-State Handle: 11,915,460Copyright 2015 EQUIBASE Company LLC. All Rights Reserved.
39Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
SARATOGA RESULTS PHOTOS BY DAVE HARMON AND TOD MARKS
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40 Saturday, August 1, 2015The Saratoga Special
You can’t call it a movement yet, or even a groundswell really. No, Racing Gratitude is more like the current flickering in an old neon sign. You know the kind. Zzzpppptttt…Eat at Joe’s…Pttzzzffftt…Rheingold Extra Dry Beer – To Go…Tkkkzzzrrrrmmmtt…Clancy’s Tavern.
Dr. Jennifer Durenberger – once a state veteri-narian in New York and the director of racing for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, accredit-ed steward, NTRA veterinary consultant, studious yogi, avid runner and aspiring mindfulness coach – would like to be the person responsible for switch-ing on the light of Racing Gratitude.
But she needs help. She’s got an idea, the @Rac-ingGratitude Twitter handle, some thought process-es and hopefully worthy participants. Too often, she said recently, racing ends up reflecting anything but gratitude. People gripe about medication rules, wonder why they lost a bet, get mad at horses, wor-ry about races filling, sweat decisions by jockeys, hate on negative attention from the outside world, get jealous of someone else’s success.
Instead, Durenberger figures, spread a little thankfulness. If you work in racing, you must like it. You enjoy horses, the backstretch, the smells, the sights, the feels.
“This is my 25th year working in horse racing, and it’s been nothing but good to me,” Durenberger said in an email. “This is a sport unlike any other. It embraces you, if you let it, and it won’t let you go. The racing community is one of the most dedi-cated, vibrant and participatory communities in the world. I always tell people, nobody works in racing because the pay is great and the hours are good. We’re here because of a shared passion. But some-times – especially when the long days get longer and the pressure cooker is on – we can start to overlook some of those little things. I wanted to do something positive to give back.”
She’s not sure if it’ll work, or if anyone will no-
tice, but she knows it can’t hurt. The veterinarian in her knows horses feel positive – and negative – vibes from humans.
“Absolutely,” she said. “We all know horses are exceptionally responsive to the energy around them. When that energy is negative, it affects them neg-atively. When that energy is positive, they thrive. When you’re working around a horse who really trusts his environment, that will come across in ev-erything he does.”
The concept makes sense and has its roots in far bigger spots than racing. Corporate America em-braces a positive attitude as a key to professional and personal success. Durenberger, whose other goal in all of this is to launch a wellness practice for horses and humans. For the horses, it’s sports massage, acupressure, myofascial release, reiki. For the people, it’s some general mindfulness training and stress reduction.
All of it depends on a little gratitude.“Gratitude is a positive state of mind that aris-
es when you train yourself to notice and appreciate the little things around you in the moment,” Du-renberger said. “It works by taking sensory input – and this includes smell and touch, not just sight and sound – and connecting that with a positive feeling. Practicing gratitude can literally rewire our brains.”
So, spread a little gratitude and see if it helps you – and the horses. It’s there, every day, if you look. So far at the meet . . . I’ve seen leading trainer Todd
Pletcher stop and sign autographs for and chat with three children in the clubhouse; I’ve been congratu-lated about 100 times for my Eclipse Award (didn’t know that many people noticed); I’ve watched Larry Jones win (and lose) a Grade 1 stakes with dignity; I’ve seen two grooms participate in an evening bi-ble-study session while rolling bandages; I’ve smiled at @racinggratitude tweets about the first scoop of poultice (think Skippy only whitish gray) and the smell asthmador (think Vick’s); I’ve rubbed the fore-head of Gary Contessa’s lead pony (who looked like he needed it); I’ve gotten emails from faithful read-ers of The Special (who come back every year); I’ve watched my sons take photos and meet horses and talk to adults with confidence; I’ve seen a Special intern win a $1,000 scholarship at the track; I’ve seen a donkey and a horse happily living together in a stall behind two webbings . . . I’ve seen gratitude.
Of course, this place can foster its share of what-ever the opposite of gratitude is.
“Saratoga can be an especially stressful time – both for our equine athletes and for the people that work with them,” Durenberger said. “Practicing gratitude is proven to reduce stress and anxiety, strengthen the immune system, lower blood pres-sure, and generally promote feelings of psycholog-ical and physical well-being. Who wouldn’t benefit from that during the craziest six weeks of the year?”
So get to work people. Gratitude matters. See you on Twitter – and at the track.
theoutsiderail Thank YouBY JOE CLANCY
#racinggratitude u @racinggratitude
www.duralock.com e: [email protected]
t:1-859-608-2407
Saratoga Race Course - Saratoga Springs, NY
Cheltenham Race Course, Gloucestershire, UK
41Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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The full-brothers stand four stalls apart. Big, long, tall. Bone, scope, brawn. Present, alert, regal. Sharp features, blazes like a thick brush to a thin line, white rims around wild eyes.
Al Khali looks out over his screen in the second stall to the end of Bill Mott’s barn on the Oklahoma side. Five stalls to his left, past Benediction, Privet Hedge, My Miss Sophia and Seek Again stands his little brother, Japan, he looks out over his screen.
They look you dead in the eye, then they look past you, off in the distance, then they look back at you, then back in the distance. They twitch their ears every time the camera clicks. Al Khali nickers when a horse stops in front of him, banging his screen off the wooden sides. Japan pulls hay like a dog pulls on a bone, then grinds on the green stalks while staring into the distance.
Mott glides past on his paint pony. “If we walked a bunch of horses around the shed
and said pick out the full-brothers, you wouldn’t need to have the greatest eye to figure it out,” Mott said. “They have a lot of the same characteristics. They’re both studdish in the paddock. I’ve nev-er seen anything like it. They’re long, they’re tall, they’re not particularly wide, they’re angular, both have a big, long head.”
Friday morning, Al Khali trained first. You can’t miss him. Long and low in the middle but tall and strong on either end, he saunters onto the track, swaggering like he won an Oscar. He stands, jogs back and gallops past, lighter than you would have believed. You shake your head, in awe yet again.
Japan goes to the Oklahoma track as well, the sun has started to come up. He’s lighter, leggier, eas-ier on himself. He hasn’t filled out, won’t fill that frame for years. He bounces over the dirt, walks off the track on his own, walks the long way around Shug’s barn, takes a turn of the barn. He saunters too, but not with the stamp of his older brother.
Bred by Emory Hamilton, the sons of Medaglia d’Oro and Maya make graded stakes starts today at Saratoga. Japan, 3, tries to continue his ascent, aiming to win his third straight in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy while Al Khali, 9, tries to keep his career afloat, taking a crack at the Grade 2 Bowling Green, a race he won in 2010.
Mott has trained Al Khali since taking over from Todd Pletcher, back in 2009. Al Khali made his first three starts in Peru before returning to the U.S. to make five starts for Pletcher and WinStar Farm. Brous Stable and Wachtel Stable purchased him and sent him to Mott. That was 2010. He has shown up and gone to work in every turf stakes ever since. He’s won eight races, lost 31. A soldier.
Japan began his career with Mike Hushion be-fore owner Barry Schwartz sent him to Mott this winter. Japan’s won two of three since, including the Easy Goer on Belmont Stakes Day. Mott thought grass, then didn’t after a 5-furlong breeze in 1:02 1/5 in May.
“He’s a little different, he’s got a different foot, that suits the dirt,” Mott said. “Naturally, after Al Khali, you think about grass for him. I worked him
on the grass and he didn’t really work that great. I’ll tell you what, he works good on the dirt. He works like a good horse.”
Leaning on a wooden rail on the edge of the wash pad Friday morning, Mott gazed at Japan and looked ahead.
“You have to think at this time next year, he’ll fill out,” Mott said.
But, he’ll never look like Al Khali, will he? “He’s like a cartoon horse,” Mott said, endear-
ingly. Think Peb meets Hanna Barbara. Al Khali missed nearly two years of racing, from
the 2013 Sword Dancer to an optional claimer at Belmont in May. Mott knows he’s near his curtain call.
“He enjoys his job, I don’t think he’d be any happier turned out somewhere or retired than he is right here at the racetrack. He loves training, the way he breezes, the way he gallops,” Mott said. “Maybe he’s lost a step on the racetrack in the after-noon but to watch him train, you’d never know it. He probably won’t run much more but we wanted to bring him back, he’s perfectly happy doing it.”
At the end of the morning, Mott sits behind his desk of his office, across the courtyard from his barn. He slides a pencil into his electric sharpener on his desk and starts to mark his training chart.
A sharp nicker sound wafts through the screen door.
Mott doesn’t even look up. “There’s Al. We hear you Al. What are you doing,
Al? He has a very distinguished nicker. He sees the tractor going around. I don’t think he’s even looking at that pony,” Mott said. “I walked in front of his stall yesterday, I’m standing directly in front of him and he’s not paying attention to me. He’s looking right over me, looking out over there somewhere.”
Just like a big brother.
cupofcoffee BrothersBY SEAN CLANCY
Al Khali
Japan
43Saturday, August 1, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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