SARATOGA DAILY NOTEBOOK
FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2005
by Dick Powell
GIANT’S CAUSEWAY (Storm Cat) is off to a great start at stud with his first
crop of three-year-olds this year. He’s had multiple classic winners in Europe
and his runners here have shown great versatility.
Just like their daddy, most of the offspring of Giant’s Causeway are very
competitive. They’ll keep fighting even when out of gas and the Storm Cat
breeding comes through when in an alley fight.
In the Lake Placid S. (G2), run today on the Mellon Turf Course, two Giant
Causeway fillies battled to the wire without giving an inch. What a tremendous
advertisement for Ashford Stud who stands him at their Kentucky stud farm.
Johnny Velazquez sent Ready’s Gal (More Than Ready) to the front from his
inside post position but Jerry Bailey was not going to let him get away with the
same easy lead he had in the Lake George S. (G3) and pressed Ready’s Gal her
with My Typhoon (Ire) (Giant’s Causeway). The two fillies raced through a very
fast first quarter of 22.98 and a half in 46.65.
Bailey was not going to let Velazquez get away from him but, with no one else
doing any of the work, he was using his filly more than he wanted. Nearing the
top of the stretch, Ready’s Gal packed it in but My Typhoon looked like she was
running out of gas as Bailey got to work on her.
Leading rider Edgar Prado had Euro shipper NAISSANCE ROYALE (Ire) (Giant’s
Causeway) in behind the early speed duel and it appeared as if she would blow
right by turning for home. But, despite her tank on empty, My Typhoon battled
back gamely and the two Giant’s Causeway fillies battled to the wire with
Naissance Royale holding on by a desperate head. Both fillies have the liver
chestnut color of their sire and each has a white strip down their head. The
winner carried two pounds less and with the pace scenario it was hard to tell
who was the better filly.
After the race, Prado said, “I was lucky to save ground and sit right behind
and it worked out beautiful for me. I thought I was going to go by easier at the
top of the stretch. Because, when I took my horse to the outside, she gave me
nice acceleration, but Bailey’s horse (My Typhoon) never quit. She came back and
was very game. I was very happy with my filly.”
Last night, the National Museum of Racing held “An Evening With Wayne Lukas”
in their Hall of Fame gallery. If you were lucky enough to attend, it was a
memorable night with Lukas regaling the audience with story after story about
how he and Clyde Rice (Linda Rice’s dad) made a living buying horses destined to
be slaughtered and training them to be Saddlebreds while still teenagers. He
talked about traveling with Keith and Sis Asmussen, winding up in Laredo, Texas,
where Asmussen set up shop, and moving to Los Alamitos the next year. Lukas also
spoke on how a stellar career dominating the Quarter Horse world eventually led
to training Thoroughbreds full time.
The conditioner could not have been more loquacious and charismatic, and many
in the audience who weren’t even hardcore racing fans were mesmerized by him.
Mike Kane, the new communications director of the Museum, was the moderator but
Wayne needed no prodding to open up.
If you live in the upstate New York area, a 60-minute compilation will appear
next Wednesday on Capital OTB’s TV-12 from 9:45 – 10:45 a.m. (EDT).
Todd Pletcher made it back to the winner’s circle today when J’RAY (Distant
View) won the 4TH race, a maiden special weight event for New York-bred juvenile
fillies going two turns on the turf. Probably the lesser part of the Pletcher
entry, J’Ray sat off the early pacesetters with Bailey in the saddle after
stumbling at the start.
Bailey kept her out in the clear and had her in a sustained drive around the
far turn. Her entrymate, Towering Escape (Giant’s Causeway) was stuck down on
the inside and had traffic problems in the deep stretch when looking for running
room. By then, Bailey had engaged Fairytale Story (Western Expression) inside
the furlong pole and went on to an easy 2 1/4-length win.
It was Pletcher’s first visit to the winner’s circle in a week and we’ll see
if it means his stable is going to heat up again.
Michael Dickinson sent out Sku (Repriced) to a third-place finish in today’s
5TH race, a claiming event on the inner turf going 1 1/16 miles. No real news
except consider this — in the past eight years, Dickinson has won one race here
with 42 starters.
You would think with all the turf races carded here Dickinson would be a
major force.
Also in the 5TH race, Pletcher sent out Look No Further (More Than Ready),
who could not have been any ranker after stumbling and being bumped at the
start. Velazquez put the pedal down and he was actually bucking going by the
finish line the first time. After opening up a big lead down the backstretch,
Look No Further tired badly and finished dead last. It was a perfect example of
why you need to watch races as well as follow charts since he was able to get
away with a :48 1/5 split before tiring. If you watched the race, you know why
he ran out of energy.
Mike Luzzi, Ramon Dominguez and leading rider Prado all won two races today.
Velazquez was shut out again and now trails Prado 21 to 29. Rick Dutrow Jr. won
his 10th race when TIGER HEART (Scatmandu) scored in the 6TH race and is now
tied with Steve Asmussen for second place in the trainer standings. They trail
Pletcher, who has 15 wins for the meet.
Horses to Watch
6TH – POTRISUNRISE (Arg) (Potrillazo) was wide every step of this
seven-furlong event and still held on gamely for second in his second start off
the claim for Bruce Levine.
8TH – VICTORY LAP (Touch Gold) is a one-dimensional closer that was hurt by
the firm turf but still rallied gamely to get third behind two top-class turf
fillies.
Saturday Preview
On opening day, the main track was very tiring and slow, and WRIGLEY (Grand
Slam) paid a heavy price when he gunned to the front and tired late going 5 1/2
furlongs. He stretches out to seven furlongs on Saturday in the 5TH race and,
with the chance of showers, the main track should be either wet and
speed-favoring or sealed in anticipation of rain.
The Alabama S. (G1) is an interesting renewal with lots of early speed and
lots of question marks on many of the contenders. SWEET SYMPHONY (A.P. Indy) has
the advantage of a win over the track, drew an inside post, gets first time
Lasix and Bailey in the irons. She should be able to sit behind the early speed
and has a major wet-track pedigree.