SARATOGA DAILY NOTEBOOK
SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2005
by Dick Powell
Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens once said that, “horses with speed are
like a shotgun; they’re dangerous in anyone’s hands.” On Saturday, in both graded
stakes at the Spa, speed showed how dangerous it is.
In the Diana (G1), it looked like SAND SPRINGS (Dynaformer) might have a pace
advantage over her turf rivals. With three late scratches, there was little
question that she would go to the front from post 7 with a long run into the
first turn on the inner turf course going nine furlongs. However, what nobody could
foresee was that she would face little pressure from her rivals.
John Velazquez sent her to the front out of the gate and was able to make the
lead without getting her too keyed up. She had a clear lead as they passed the
finish line the first time and only took 24.38 seconds to cover the first
quarter. If anyone was going to press her now was the time but, instead, Velazquez
was able to go :48.33 for the half and only 1:12.23 in the run down the backside.
With the turf course as hard as it has been this was a huge advantage for Sand
Springs. She picked it up a bit around the far turn with a fourth quarter in
:23.17.
Still clear in the deep stretch, Que Puntual (Arg) (Contested Bid) and Angara
(GB)
(Alzao) tried to make a run at her but when the loose-on-the-lead leader is able
to run her last furlong in :11.51, it’s pretty hard to play catch-up. Sand Springs
cruised to an easy 2 1/4-length win and covered the nine furlongs in 1:46.91. The
closers had no chance behind the dawdling pace and none of them ever really
threatened.
Jim Toner said after the race that he scratched Wonder Again (Silver Hawk)
from the Diana since she drew the extreme outside post, was carrying high weight
and the turf was very firm. Last year’s Diana winner will instead go
next in the Beverly D. (G1) at Arlington Park on August 13.
Two races later, speed dominated again, this time on the main track in the
Jim Dandy (G2). Before the race, Jerry Bailey did not like the way Noble
Causeway (Giant’s Causeway) was warming up and alerted the track vet at the
starting gate. The vet examined him and didn’t find anything wrong, but Bailey
was still concerned and Noble Causeway was a late scratch.
After the race, a puzzled Nick Zito said, “The vet didn’t have any problem
with him, but Bailey didn’t like the way he was warming up; he walked back
perfect.”
At the start of the race, the expected pacesetter Mr. Congeniality (Chester
House) didn’t outbreak the field and John Velazquez sent FLOWER ALLEY (Distorted
Humor) up to the front to maintain his inside position. Reverberate (Thunder
Gulch) did not get away quickly from post 1 and now Velazquez was in his
familiar position on the lead and on the rail.
The field covered the first half in :47.38 and 6 furlongs in 1:11.54 — pretty
good considering how slow the main track has played at this meet. Velazquez had
Flower Alley, the 1-2 favorite, in a steady drive and the only challenge would
come from Reverberate. At the top of the stretch it looked like it might be a
race, but then just as quickly it was over and Flower Alley was pulling away.
The final margin was 5 1/4 lengths and Flower Alley took 1:49.50 to insert
himself into the Travers (G1) picture. Reverberate held on for second and
Andromeda’s Hero (Fusaichi Pegasus) was a distant third. It was the seventh win
already at the meet for Todd Pletcher and John Velazquez.
After the race, Pletcher said he would have been content to follow
Reverberate and Mr. Congeniality but was happy when his charge inherited the lead. He
indicated that Flower Alley is still racing greenly. “When Johnny hit him
right-handed, he ducked over onto his left lead,” Pletcher said. “It will come
to him. Right now, he is doing this on natural talent.”
Not only was it Velazquez’s third straight winner on the day, it was his
third straight Jim Dandy victory. Johnny’s agent is the King of Saratoga, Angel
Cordero Jr. and just like Allen Jerkens, he knew that the way to success at
Saratoga is on the front end.
There was a good juvenile race in the 5TH race Saturday. A field of 12 went postward with
Americanism (Gulch) being a late scratch after the horses left the paddock. In
the paddock, the dozen juveniles all made a terrific appearance and behaved like
they have been around the game for years.
According to the BRIS three-year statistics for this class, distance and age
group, favorites win a healthy 43 percent and the public made PRIVATE VOW
(Broken Vow) the 9-5 favorite. Breaking from the rail, the Steve Asmussen-trainee outsprinted the field down the backside and took a clear lead
into the turn.
Richard Migliore had Flashy Bull (Holy Bull) down on the inside and passed
Sharp Attack (Storm Cat) on the rail giving chase to Private Vow. He never got
closer than half-length as Bailey had a lot of horse under him and began
to pull away to a 2 1/4-length win in 1:11.47. Flashy Bull held well for second
and Tahoe Warrior (Carson City) rallied some for third.
When you watch Bailey ride, watch his right elbow. If he has a lot of
horse under him, he keeps it still. But, when you see him start to flick it
outward around the far turn, it’s usually a sign that he’s asking the horse for
run and might not be getting the response he wants. Today, the response was
there.
Rick Violette is one of the best trainers on the New York circuit every year.
He’s always in the high teens with his win percentage and not only does well
with firsters, they usually don’t get bet so they return good value. In
Saturday’s 2ND race, Violette sent out first-time starter SARATOGA VIEW (Distant
View) to an easy 8 1/2-length win at a $13 win mutuel. As much as I pass a lot
of Pletcher mounts, I play Violette in this kind of spot and the results are
terrific.
Violette came right back in the next race with YOLANDA B. TOO (Two Punch), a
second-time starter who was adding blinkers. Off for 230 days, Violette had her
fit and ready and she also won by a big margin. Both of Violette’s winners were
owned by West Point Stable — good advertising for their racing partnerships.
Riding stars of the day were Velazquez and Eibar Coa, who each won three
races. Only one of Coa’s was favored and the other two paid double digits.
Main track continues to play slow. With the sunshine and low humidity, you
can’t water it enough and it has yet to yield any fast times. Speed did well on
it today though. Turf remains very hard and look for the early pace of these
races to get a lot quicker.
Horses to Watch
2ND – HE DICHO (Chester House) broke slowly but showed late interest as
many of the Nick Zito first-time starters do. Watch for mud caulks to be added
next time out.
4TH – AWESOME TWIST (Awesome Again) was no match for the winner who snuck
through on the rail but still ran well to get second despite a wide trip in a paceless
seven-furlong sprint.
Sunday’s Best Plays
We’ll test my dopey nature/nurture theory in the 5TH. Pletcher sends out
LOVE LOCKET (Thunder Gulch), whose offspring only win 7 percent. Instead, we’ll
go with UNBRIDLED TALE (Tale of the Cat), whose offspring win 20 percent, and
Patrick Biancone wins an incredible 32 percent with firsters.
In the 10TH, we’ll go against the grain with a come-from-behinder. PREDATORY
LENDER (Skip Away) rallied nicely to break her maiden two starts back and then
finished a
wide fourth on the turf at Churchill. She gets Rafael Bejarano and should be
flying late.