Something about the “Sultan of Saratoga” brings out the wrath of Mother Nature, as once again, the clouds let loose on Fourstardave Day! Although this year’s storm was not as devastating as last year’s, which forced cancellation of the entire card after the 5th Race, it nonetheless had an impact on the $500K, Grade 1 Mile Handicap, run on the inner turf course.
Live Oak Plantation’s Charlotte Weber had to be extremely proud of her millionaire homebred, 5-year-old grey gelding, World Approval, as he did not let the yielding turf disrupt his mission, cutting back to a mile, breaking from the outside post, and recording an impressive 107 Beyer.
The talented young Jockey, Manny Franco, made the most out of his opportunity to ride World Approval in Julien Leparoux’s absence, who chose instead to ride in Arlington, by calmly settling WA off the rail in 3rd, as speedy filly, Sassy Little Lila, led through the opening quarter and half, with Ballagh Rocks a length behind her on the inside. As the lone filly in the field started to fade, Manny swung WA four wide at the top of the stretch, battling BR ‘til he took the lead near the 8th pole, pulling away for an easy 2-1/4 length victory.
A jubilant Manny pumped his fist high crossing the finish line, as he celebrated his 1st Grade 1 victory at the Spa, in a race named after the beloved legend that his Agent, Angel Cordero, once rode, as the King of Saratoga!
Disco Partner, the world record holder at 6 furlongs, did not seem to like the going, and perhaps, in addition, proved that stretching out to a mile, and much less around two turns, was not ideal, and finished a disappointing 4th. We’ll have to see what direction Christophe Clement takes him next.
Very interestingly, Manny and Angel secured the mount at of all places, the Rec Center, during the annual Racetrack Chaplaincy Charity Basketball Game! Inquiring minds would love to know how one could find their Jockey during a hoops game, but Trainer Mark Casse succinctly stated that he was very impressed by Manny’s athleticism at Point Guard, and loved his competitive spirit and heart, and the way he fought when the white-knuckle game was on the line! Mark knew right then that Manny would be the perfect choice to ride WA, and he certainly looks wise, and made all the connections feel good about his decision!
Poor Julien Leparoux’s decision to ride at Arlington was perhaps not as wise, as he was not as lucky as Manny, nor was his fellow Frenchman, Florent Geroux, who was not able to duplicate his amazing luck last year on Arlington Million Day. However, as has been the ongoing trend, the Ortiz Bros, best friends of Manny’s, keep winning at a mind-blowing rate, and their day at Arlington was no different!
Oscar Performance, with Jose Ortiz aboard, showed the world that all he knows how to do is win, in spite of comments from those who think he’s just the lucky recipient of perfect trips! Picking up his third Grade 1 victory, OP captured the $400K, 1-1/4 Secretariat by 2-1/4 lengths over Taj Mahal, and cemented his spot atop the 3-year-old Turf Division. Trainer Brian Lynch must now decide where to next place his star son of Kitten’s Joy for his final Breeders Cup prep, as he seems capable of going either a 1-1/4 or a 1-1/2, and perhaps the 1-1/2-mile Joe Hirsch at Belmont will be it!
In the $600K, Grade 1 Beverly D, for fillies and mares 3 and up, Irad Ortiz, Jr. gave Chad Brown his record 4th victory in this race. “Juni” made his trip to Chicago most worthwhile, guiding Dacita to the win, and a 101 Beyer in 1:55.49 for the 1-3/16-mile race.
In his back and forth battle with his bro Jose for Saratoga supremacy, Juni tied it up again at 32 wins, just after the halfway point, when he brought home the 6-year-old New York-bred mare, Literata, to victory in Monday’s feature, The Saratoga Dew, named after the first NY-bred to win an Eclipse. This was the second year in a row that Trainer Rudy Rodriguez has won the Dew, as he did it last year with Jules N Rome. In a rare occurrence, sisters out of the Quiet American mare, American Passage, Jc’s American Dream and Jc’s Shooting Star, came in 2nd & 3rd.
Chad Brown notched his 2nd Grade 1 victory on Saturday at Arlington when his Beach Patrol, who won the Grade 1 Secretariat last year, captured the jewel on the card, the Million, for his first win in a year! The 4-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid, ridden by Joel Rosario, battled throughout the stretch with international stars Deauville and Fanciful Angel, beating them by 3/4 of a length at the wire. Beach Patrol covered the 1-1/4 over a firm turf course in 2:02.39, good for a 100 Beyer.
Earlier on Saturday’s card at the Spa, in the Grade 2 Adirondack for 2-year-old fillies, the daughter of NY-bred Mission Impazible, Pure Silver, dominated the field in open company, and was victorious in a 9-1/2 length romp. Despite her tantrum in the gate, Hall of Famer Johnny Velazquez could steady the 2-year-old grey filly, and it appears that the Grade 1 Spinaway on Woodward Saturday would be the perfect fit for this talented juvenile.
Although I’ll admit that I was a tad pessimistic about the chances of the magnificent Songbird returning to the Spa, after her difficult win in the Delaware ‘Cap on July 15th, I am absolutely over the moon that her always game Owner, Rick Porter, announced on Sunday, following her 5-furlong breeze in 1:01 at Delmar, that she will make a triumphant return to Saratoga in the Personal Ensign on the Travers Day card! It is well known that Porter loves to race at Saratoga, and he was quoted to have said that the Grade 1 PE’s $700K purse “is right”, and in an understatement, that “she runs well here”, following her spectacular wins in last summer’s CCAO and Alabama. The 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro, and 2-time Eclipse Award winner, will contest the PE at the same 1-1/8 distance as her 5-1/4 length victory in the CCAO, but this time will face a stern test against the likes of multiple graded stakes winners Carina Mia and Forever Unbridled. Songbird has an amazing 13 wins out of 14 career starts, for earnings in excess of $4.5 million. Her lone defeat, in last year’s epic Breeders Cup Distaff, where she was nosed out by 3-time champion Beholder in her swan song, in a thrilling stretch battle for the ages, was actually her finest race, and I cannot wait to see her run again!
In other action, the ever popular and hard charging 7-year-old gelding, Stallwalkin’ Dude, got the bob at the wire in a thriller on Friday, delighting his loyal fans! This is the third time that the David Jacobson-trained sprinter has won the $100K Tale of the Cat, and Jersey Joe Bravo was aboard.
In the 9th Race on Friday, local Trainer Teresa Pompay made her Saratoga family very proud, when her 3-year-old NY-bred filly, High Jingo, handily won a 5-1/2-furlong sprint for maidens, and paid a sweet $19. What a thrill it was for my friends to be in the Winner’s Circle at the Spa!
After having a rough start to the meet, both Hall of Fame Trainer Steve Asmussen and Mark Casse have thankfully gotten back to their winning ways. After going 1 for 44 early, Mark now has 3 wins, including the Grade 1 Fourstardave, and Steve has 3, too. Steve’s recent success came in a big way, with his Whitney win with Gunrunner, and he followed that up with a win in Sunday’s $200K, Grade 2 Saratoga Special with Copper Bullet, a 2-year-old son of More Than Ready. He was impressive under Irad Ortiz, as he won going away for Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing.
In Monday’s finale, a horse appropriately named Cordero, was ridden to victory by Manny Franco, whose book is handled by the horse’s namesake, Angel! The horse is owned by the young Jake Ballis, and his business partner and childhood friend, Rashard Lewis, a former NBA champion with the Miami Heat.
It was a fun week away from the track at The Parting Glass on Thursday and Monday. On Thursday’s Live At The Rail ESPN radio show, Andy Serling hosted Irad Ortiz, Graham Motion and Robertino Dodoma. The always humble and adorable Juni was openly grateful when we serenaded him with an impromptu rendition of Happy Birthday on the eve of his 25th, and we all agreed that he looks half his age!
The dry wit and humor of the handsome Brit, Graham Motion, was on full display, as he had the crowd, including his beautiful wife, in stitches when Andy asked him how he met Anita. He recounted how he’d grown up 6 miles away from the famed Newmarket Race Course, and that when he started working there at 16, there were never any women around. One day, “two women finally appeared in the yard”, one of them being Anita, but in his words, “it was still slim pickings”! Needless to say, the crowd roared!
On Monday night, the front room was packed for the weekly tradition that is the appearance by the Off-Track Band! For many years, life-long racetrack fixtures and friends, Ralphie Theroux and Frankie Lovato, have joined other musicians during the Saratoga Meet to create a rollicking great time for their many friends that flock to the Parting Glass for their party!
In closing, I’m looking forward to this Saturday’s running of The Alabama, and even though Abel Tasman will not return to the Spa, there will still be a stellar field, including the 2 fillies who finished behind her in the CCAO, Bill Mott’s Elate and Mark Casse’s Salty. Jimmy Jerkens’ Queen’s Plate winner, Holy Helena, will also join Jerry Hollendorfer’s Delaware Oaks winner, It Tiz Well, Brian Lynch’s Mother Goose winner, Unchained Melody, and Chad Brown’s Belmont Oaks winner, New Money Honey, who will race for the first time on dirt, in what should be an exciting race!
