Willy Beamin upsets King’s Bishop on three days’ rest

Willy Beamin extended his win streak to six races in the King’s Bishop (Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos) Firing for a second time this season on very short rest, Willy Beamin rallied from off the pace to upset Saturday’s Grade 1 $500,000 King’s Bishop at Saratoga at odds of 11-1 for owner James Riccio and trainer Rick Dutrow. The New York-bred son of Suave returned $24.80, $11.80 and $6.90 as race favorites Currency Swap and Trinniberg both finished out of the money. It was the second win in three days for Willy Beamin, who preceded this seven-furlong score with a 6 1/4-length triumph in Wednesday’s $150,000 Albany for state-bred three-year-olds over nine furlongs at the Spa. In June, Willy Beamin had captured an allowance at Belmont by 2 1/4 lengths and then came back to register a four-length score over the same track in the $125,000 Mike Lee. Both races were also restricted to New York-breds. “The other day he had a lot left in the tank, and he didn’t even really ask him to run,” Riccio said. “(Rick) Dutrow is great at that. They run better the second time.”

Less than five lengths from the leaders down the backside while racing in the
second tier of the 10-horse field, Willy Beamin was aided by an honest pace set
by 5-2 second choice Trinniberg, who had a one-length advantage through splits
of :22 1/5 and :45. Doctor Chit tracked in second outside Trinniberg, while 9-5
favorite Currency Swap raced in close attendance down toward the rail.

Those three were heads apart passing the eighth pole, but it would be the
three following them — Unbridled’s Note, Fort Loudon, and Willy Beamin — who
would turn in the most effective stretch kicks. Unbridled’s Note had no clear
path while attempting to thread his between horses, while Fort Loudon and Willy
Beamin both had relatively clear trips while making wide bids. Willy Beamin had
the best kick of the two on the outside and was up to win by a half-length, with
Fort Loudon nosing out Unbridled’s Note for second. The final time for seven
furlongs over a fast track was 1:22.

“He ran a very good race. The speed went on and my horse was comfortable all
the way through. Turning for home I was looking for room and I angled out and he
did it!,” winning trainer Alan Garcia said.

Doctor Chit finished fourth, three parts of a length behind Unbridled’s Note,
and was followed under the wire by Laurie’s Rocket, Currency Swap, Ever So
Lucky, Spin Out, Trinniberg and Gun Boat.

Originally campaigned by MeB Racing Stables and trainer Dominick Schettino,
Willy Beamin won twice in six starts for those connections. The latter was a 5
3/4-length romp for a $25,000 tag at Aqueduct on March 23, the race where Riccio
and Dutrow haltered the gelding.

Willy Beamin has won five straight for his new connections, beginning with
multiple state-bred allowance scores at Belmont by a combined margin of 8 3/4
lengths. He concluded the Belmont spring meet with a four-length decision in the
Mike Lee and has since added the Albany and King’s Bishop. Will Beamin has now
earned $519,545 from a line of 10-6-0-0.

Bred by Patricia Staskowski Purdy, Willy Beamin was produced by the
stakes-winning Gold Token mare Big Tease. This is the extended family of Grade 3
winners Eagle Toast and Champagne N Jules.

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