SARATOGA DAILY NOTEBOOK
SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2005
by Dick Powell
The New York Yankees may be floundering this year, but owner George M.
Steinbrenner’s Kinsman Stable has had a great year on the track. They won the
Wood Memorial (G1) in April with Bellamy Road (Concerto) who will probably run
in this Saturday’s King’s Bishop (G1) against sprint sensation Lost In The Fog
(Lost Soldier).
In today’s 125th renewal of the historic Alabama Stakes (G1), the blue with
brown sash silks of Kinsman made it to the winner’s circle again when their
homebred SWEET SYMPHONY (A.P. Indy) won the Alabama by an emphatic 6 1/4
lengths. I’m a big Mets fan and Yankee hater, but I was rooting hard for her.
As expected, Sis City (Slew City Slew) went to the front but was pressured by
Spun Sugar (Awesome Again) who broke in at the start and bumped For All We Know
(Stephen Got Even). R Lady Joy (Vicarage) was down on the inside behind the
dueling leaders and was never able to get comfortable.
Sweet Symphony, undefeated in three starts and making her stakes debut with
first-time Lasix, was shuffled back in the early going and was three back down
on the inside in the clubhouse turn. Sis City covered the first six furlongs in
1:13.43, and Johnny Velazquez began to turn up the pressure around the far turn
with Spun Sugar.
They collared Sis City turning for home, but Jerry Bailey had caught up to the
leaders and then swung to the outside for the drive with Sweet Symphony. As soon
as she drew even with Spun Sugar, the race was over. Spun Sugar paid for her
early efforts to keep Sis City honest and Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott could
not have drawn up the race any better than the way it turned out. Sweet Symphony
poured it on in the stretch and hit the wire in 2:04.45. Spun Sugar held on for
second and R Lady Joy was a very game third.
The race might have been especially sweet for Steninbrenner since Yankee
manager Joe Torre is a part owner of Sis City, and he and George have been
fighting on the back pages of the New York tabloids.
“They went slower than I expected them to go, and it looked like there was
some crowding going into the first turn,” Mott said. “Because of that, I think
Jerry (Bailey) was farther back. But he let her cruise up there. When she left
the three-eighths pole, it looked like Jerry had enough horse, if she was good
enough. She was more than good enough.”
Johnny, we hardly knew ya. There is a new sheriff in town and his name is
Edgar Prado, who won three more races today and now leads Velazquez 32 to 22.
Bailey continues to ride well with two wins today and is only one behind
Velazquez.
Rick Dutrow won another race when FINES CREEK (Pentelicus) won the opener as
the 6-5 favorite with Prado. He now trails Todd Pletcher 15 to 11 and has second
place to himself.
You can’t look any worse before a race than Pulpiteer (Pulpit) looked before
the 5TH race. Acting up during the pre-race routine, he showed up at the start
of the seven furlong event for maiden juveniles soaking wet. Sweat was pouring
off his belly and then he balked at loading.
Second time starter KILIMANJARO (Boundary) rallied from off the pace to take
the lead in the deep stretch but here came Pulpiteer with a sudden, late rally
that just missed. Pulpit’s offspring excel going long so Darley Stables could
have an exciting prospect on their hands — if they can get him to settle down.
Heavy rains hit overnight, forcing the 4TH and 6TH races to be switched to
the main track. The 9TH race stayed on the turf and was run over a yielding
course. The main track started out sloppy, was upgraded to muddy before the 4TH
race, and then was listed as good for the 10TH race.
Even though the main track was sealed, it was very tiring for much of the
day. In the early races, the outside paths looked like the place to be, but
YOLANDA B. TOO (Two Punch) came up the rail in the 3RD race to win going away
for Rick Violette.
There was a good breeze at their back down the backstretch and in their faces
in the homestretch. Running times were at least a full second slower than normal
and outside closers had a decided edge.
Flying Zee Stable won their seventh race of the meet when SIDEWAYS GLANCE (Western
Expression) battled gamely on the rail to win the 6TH race by a neck at 13-1
odds. Trained by Hall of Famer Frank Martin, he was the only horse in the race
that wore mud caulks.
Owner Ken Ramsay, who announced Friday that Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) winner Roses In
May (Devil His Due) had been retired from racing due to torn tendon in his
left-front, also announced today that Kitten’s Joy (El Prado [Ire]) would not go
to Paris for the Prix De L’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) in October and would instead
defend his title in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational (G1) at Belmont on
October 1.
“If I had my choice of running in the Arc d’Triomphe (Prix de l’Arc de
Triomphe; October 2, Longchamp, Paris, France) or the Breeders’ Cup, I would
have preferred the Arc because it is a challenge,” said explained Ramsay on the
change of plans. “I talked with Jerry Bailey who rode Kitten’s Joy on soft turf,
and Prado, who rode him on firm and yielding turf. It is the opinion of the
professionals that he is a better horse on firm turf, and if we were to go to
Paris, there is an 80 percent chance of the course being good, yielding, soft or
even heavy. By staying at Belmont Park, those odds are reversed
“So, when you put it all together, the smart and logical thing to do is to
stay and train at Belmont Park. My Daddy always said that a smart man changes
his mind and a fool never does. This was a decision that Dale (Romans, trainer)
and I both slept on. Based on what happened with Roses In May yesterday, we felt
making this announcement this way was the right thing to do.”
Horses to Watch
5TH – Pulpiteer washed out badly before the race, acted up at the
gate, and still made a big middle move to just miss. Watch for him stretching
out.
9TH – PROVINCETOWN (Crimson Guard) set the pace on yielding turf against open
company stakes horses and should be tough back with New York-breds.
Sunday Preview
5TH – Turf racing usually gets horses into shape so I like the turf-to-dirt angle.
Rusty Arnold sends out INDY TROUBLE (A.P. Indy) off a pair
of turf efforts and now shows up in a seven-furlong maiden event on the main
track with Eibar Coa.
8TH – SPANISH MISSION (Coronado’s Quest) wound up setting the pace last out
before tiring late and should do better if he has a target to run at in this
first-level allowance event going two turns on the main track.