Rosedown Racing’s homebred Bashart seized command early in Thursday’s Grade
2, $200,000
With Anticipation Stakes and never looked back, continuing a few trends at
Saratoga — the speed-conducive turf, trainer Todd Pletcher’s deep bench of
juveniles and sire War Front’s stranglehold on this race. Bashart became the
third With Anticipation winner in just four crops for War Front, following his
first-crop star Soldat (2010) and State of Play (2011).
One of two Pletcher runners in the 1 1/16-mile turf event, Bashart was
dispatched as the slight second choice at 5-2, with stablemate We Miss Artie a
marginally preferred 5-2. Both colts were coming off maiden wins at this Mellon
course and distance. Hall of Famer John Velazquez stayed aboard We Miss Artie,
and Javier Castellano picked up the mount on Bashart.
When the gate opened, a few juveniles were in the pace mix, but Bashart
capitalized on his rail post to secure the lead entering the clubhouse turn. As
he doled out fractions of :23 1/5, :47 1/5 and 1:11 1/5, he was stalked by Base
Case Scenario and We Miss Artie. Tiger Bourbon, who had beaten Bashart in their
mutual debut, and Marvin’s Miracle were parked in midpack, while Racetrack
Romance and River Dancer bided their time at the back.
Bashart shrugged off the weakening Base Case Scenario and We Miss Artie
turning for home. Marvin’s Miracle rallied on the inside, and River Dancer
closed boldly wider out, but neither could peg back the front runner in full
flight. Bashart reached the mile in 1:35 3/5 and motored his last sixteenth in
:6 1/5, posting a final time of 1:41 4/5 on the firm going.
“I let him do whatever he wanted,” Castellano said, “and I was very satisfied
with the way he did it today. He showed a lot of speed in the race before this.
Today was a very competitive race and a lot of the horses showed the same
tactical speed. I had the beautiful post, inside, on the rail. He broke sharply,
and I just let him go to the lead.”
“Javier kind of let him run away from there,” Pletcher recapped, “and he made
the lead and relaxed. The turf course has been playing that way like the past
seven to 10 days, so it was a good spot to be. He responded every time they came
to him. He found a little more.
“He’s still learning,” the trainer added. “When he made the lead the other
day (August 18), he was a little bit green and kind of idled a little bit, but
when you’re on the lead, you can kind of relax and use that to your advantage.
So, he was able to settle. The second quarter was comfortable, so I think that
really helped.”
Runner-up River Dancer, beaten 1 1/4 lengths, turned in a commendable effort
from well off the pace. Unfortunately, he had to be vanned off after crossing
the wire.
Marvin’s Miracle was a clear third by 3 1/4 lengths over Tiger Bourbon. Next
came Base Case Scenario, We Miss Artie and Racetrack Romance. General Jack was
scratched, along with the main-track-only King Cyrus, Free Mugatu and Howaboutwe.
The latter trio are all nominated to Monday’s Grade 1 Hopeful.
Bashart paid $7.70 to win and boosted his own bankroll to $178,000 from a
record of 3-2-0-1. Third to Tiger Bourbon and General Jack in a turf sprint
maiden at Belmont on July 12, the bay colt profited by stretching out to two
turns at the Spa on August 18, and wheeled back successfully on only 11 days’
rest here.
“One of the reasons we decided to run back on short rest was it put us on a
better schedule,” Pletcher said. “It gave us an opportunity with a horse that’s
still learning to run twice — before a possible Breeders’ Cup. That’s why he
ran back on short rest, and he’s acted really well since his maiden win. We got
lucky today.”
The Kentucky-bred was led out unsold at three Keeneland auctions, bringing a
bid of $65,000 as a November weanling, $185,000 as a September yearling and
$195,000 in April as a two-year-old in training. He is the third stakes
performer produced by the Clever Trick mare Busy Windsong, who is also
responsible for stakes scorer Squallcreek and Italian Group 3-placed Catch Wind.
This is the family of multiple Grade 3 victors Sandtrap and Now Listen, and
further back, 2010 Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Kinsale King; ill-fated champion
Roving Boy; multiple Grade 1 heroine A Wild Ride; and millionaire Joyful
Victory, winner of this season’s Santa Margarita and Molly Pitcher.
Bashart’s sixth dam, 1945 Demoiselle winner War Kilt, is a full sister to
influential sire War Relic, the male-line ancestor of race namesake With
Anticipation. They are also full siblings to Speed Boat, queen of the 1932
Adirondack and 1933 Test, who will be honored by a stakes at Saratoga on Sunday.
Speed Boat went on to become a noted broodmare, producing 1940 champion
two-year-old filly Level Best.
War Relic, Speed Boat and War Kilt are all by Man o’ War out of Friar’s Carse,
the champion two-year-old filly of 1925.
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