Rebounding from the worst loss of his career in last month’s True North
Handicap, Michael Dubb and Gary Aisquith’s Sage Valley rallied from off the pace
to take Friday’s Grade 3, $100,000
James
Marvin on the opening day program at Saratoga.
Tracking a couple of lengths off the pacesetting favorite Souper Speedy, who
was pressured through splits of :22 1/5 and :44 2/5, Sage Valley bided his time
before bidding for the lead with just over a furlong to go. Seizing a short
advantage at the eighth pole, the Discreet Cat colt pulled away to win by a
length under Cornelio Velasquez in a time of 1:22 2/5 for seven furlongs over a
fast track. He returned $8.90 as the 3-1 third choice in a field of six older
horses.
“Very, very perfect trip. Cornelio (Velasquez) gave him a perfect ride,”
winning trainer Rudy Rodriguez said. “You always want to see those kinds of
fractions when you come from behind. He’s a very classy horse. It looked like he
put a lot in the race; if we give him the right time, he ought to show up (next
out).”
Closers also took the minor awards in the James Marvin, with
Politicallycorrect besting Hello Lover for second by a half-length. Souper
Speedy, who started at 9-5, weakened to fourth and was followed under the wire
by Strapping Groom and Laurie’s Rocket. Jaguar Paw, Right to Vote and
Willyconker were early scratches.
Sage Valley won his career debut at Charles Town in January 2012, taking a 4
1/2-furlong maiden special weight. Dropped in for a $50,000 tag in his second
start, he was claimed by Dubb from his third-place finish over the Aqueduct
inner track. His new connections never ran him for a tag again.
The dark bay colt proceeded to record a pair of thirds before returning to
the win column at Belmont in September. He followed that 1 1/2-length tally with
an 8 3/4-length score in an allowance event and then rolled to a 6 3/4-length
decision in his stakes bow, the November 9 Mr. Nasty at Aqueduct.
Sage Valley carried his form forward while returning from a 190-day layoff to
take the Maryland Sprint Handicap, a Grade 3 event at Pimlico, on May 18, but
was an even fifth in the June 8 True North at Belmont. His record now stands at
10-6-0-3, $315,200.
Bred in Kentucky by Buck Pond Farm, Sage Valley is out of the multiple
stakes-winning Crptoclearance mare Ashwood C C, a daughter of stakes winner
Dylan’s Crafty.
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