Saratoga Daily Notebook

SARATOGA DAILY NOTEBOOK

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2005

by Dick Powell

The feature race today was the second running of the Saratoga Dew S., a New

York-bred two-turn main track event for fillies and mares. Saratoga Dew

(Cormorant) was the champion three-year-old filly of 1992, and she was gunned to the front

in that year's Alabama S. (G1) and led every step of the way but the

last as November Snow (Storm Cat) got up in the final stride to win by a nose.

It was one of the toughest beats ever.

In today's running, South Wing (Dixie Brass) gunned to the front just like

Saratoga Dew and tried to hang on. She opened up an eight-length lead down the

backstretch, but her first half of :46.38 began to take its toll on the far turn.

Meanwhile, leading rider Edgar Prado was biding his time aboard the favorite

JUDY SODA (Personal Flag).

Content to let South Wing run herself into the ground, Prado was more worried

about someone coming up on him from behind than the leader. Prado pushed the

button nearing the top of the stretch, but South Wing was a stubborn foe racing

down on the best part of the track. Judy Soda surged past her inside the final

furlong and held off a grinding challenge by So Sweet a Cat (Tommorows Cat) by

three parts of a length.

It was trainer Tom Bush's second stakes win of the meet and he did a great

job having Judy Soda ready off an 82-day layoff.

"I didn't know if she was tight enough for this," Bush admitted after the

race. "She's been a nice filly for us. She was disqualified in a heartbreaker on

Belmont Stakes Day. She got some black type today, which is important for these

fillies. I thought someone would demand the lead because she looked like she was

lone speed. Edgar (Prado) is so smart, he came to the paddock saying the same

thing. Hopefully, we can get Edgar to work her on the turf one morning."

Today was a tough track to figure out going into the day's races. With the

rain we have had the past few days, the main track was drying out on a sunny and

breezy day. Years ago, before racetracks were sealed into oblivion, a "good"

track was usually the sign of a track drying out and favored closers due to its

tiring nature.

But in today's world, the day after a track has been sealed tight, it

sometimes can play to speed with the cushion already compressed. Unless the

track super runs a deep harrow over it and turns it over, they usually just

dress it up with a light harrow and it behaves as a speed-favoring wet track.

Thursday saw no turf racing and a main track that was listed as "good" for

the first three races and then upgraded to "fast" from the 4TH race on. The

inside path was the place to be as horses down on the rail got the best footing.

Prado won three races while Johnny Velazquez was shut out. Prado now leads 41

to 35 with Jerry Bailey tied for third with Eibar Coa at 30 and Javier

Castellano right behind at 29. Rick Dutrow won a race and now holds second place

to himself as he trails Todd Pletcher by seven, 20-13.

There's nature and there's nurture. Then, there's none of the above.

According to BRIS' Ultimate Past Performances, trainer Eddie Kenneally wins only

4 percent with his first time starters. As a sire, Travers (G1) winner Deputy

Commander (Deputy Minister) wins only 4 percent with his first-time starters.

DEPUTY GLITTERS (Deputy Commander) made his career debut in the 6TH race

against a strong group of high-priced maiden claimers and the public bet him

down to 5-1 from his 12-1 morning line. Maybe they knew that his stakes-placed

dam, Glitters (Glitterman), won her career debut at two and was a multiple

stakes-placed sprinter.

It was “like mother, like son" as Cornelio Velasquez broke him on top, led to

the top of the stretch, then drew off to win by nearly 14 lengths in the good

time of 1:10.98.

There will be a Pick 6 carryover of $37,112 waiting for you on Friday.

Amazingly, the winning prices of the six races were $23.80, $6.70, $12.80,

$8.40, $4.50 and $4.30. Ordinarily I would say with the uncertainty of the track

and three of the races switched off the turf, it was due to a lesser-than-normal

Pick 6 betting pool, but there was $58,216 bet, which is not bad for a Thursday.

Horses to Watch

2ND - CORONADO'S STRIKE (Coronado's Quest) ran well behind a gate-to-wire

winner and should improve with a race under his belt.

4TH - SAMURAI WARRIOR (Capote) rallied down the middle of the track against

the bias to get second in his career debut after breaking poorly.

Friday Preview

3RD - How's this for a Saratoga pedigree? DR. PLEASURE is by Travers (G1) winner

Thunder Gulch out of champion Beautiful Pleasure (Maudlin), who won two runnings

of the Personal Ensign (G1) here at age four and five. He's training well and

gets an extended distance at which to debut.

7TH - In the other division of the maiden special weight race for juveniles,

Darley Stable sends out TESTIMONY (Yes It's True), who just missed in his career

debut. His dam won at first asking and he draws outside.