Record-setting Dominguez takes Command in Saranac

Last updated: 9/2/12 7:54 PM

Ramon Dominguez won six races Sunday and set a new record for most wins (66) during a Saratoga meet
(Harold Roth/Horsephotos.com)

Lakland Farms’ Unbridled Command overtook bold front runner Skyring in the
stretch of Sunday’s Grade 3, $150,000
Saranac
Stakes at Saratoga, providing on-fire jockey Ramon Dominguez with another
milestone. Dominguez’s amazing sixth score on the day also ranked as his 66th
win of the meet, a new single-season record for the Spa.

“Actually, I am having a great day,” said Dominguez, who eclipsed the
Saratoga mark set by Hall of Famer John Velazquez in 2004. “Everything is
working out great. It’s one of those days when you have to pinch yourself. I’m
very excited.

“I knew I was within five wins of tying the record. It’s something I was
thinking about once in a while, especially when we are getting closer to the
end. I thought we could tie the record with Johnny. If we had the chance to
break it, that would have been better. I will be able to sleep good with a big
smile, prepare for tomorrow with no pressure.”

Velazquez’s old record has an asterisk attached. He won 65 races during the
2004 meet, but one of his winners, Tales of Glory, trained by Todd Pletcher, was
disqualified after the meet concluded upon testing positive for a banned
substance. Velazquez’s official win total for 2004 thus stands at 64.

Aside from establishing a new record for wins at a Saratoga meet, Dominguez
became the first jockey to win six races on a single Saratoga card on two
separate occasions. He had previously won six races on July 22. Velazquez was
the first to win six races in one day at Saratoga, having achieved the feat on
September 3, 2001.

Unbridled Command was taking a class hike out of state-bred allowance company
(NYRA/Adam Coglianese)

Despite the presence of Dominguez in the saddle, Unbridled Command went off
at odds of 10-1 in his stakes debut, and his first start outside of New
York-bred company. The Tom Bush sophomore was well placed in the main body of
the field as Skyring opened up a big lead through splits of :22 2/5, :46 1/5 and
1:10 4/5 on the firm inner turf.

Unbridled Command launched a good-looking bid around the far turn, and
collared Skyring at the top of the stretch. Just when Skyring looked done, the
longtime leader found a second wind and fought back along the inside.

But Dominguez always had that move covered. Keeping Unbridled Command to
task, he drove his mount to a half-length decision in a final time of 1:46 2/5
for nine grassy furlongs. The winner furnished healthy mutuels of $22.60, $10.20
and $5.

Bush was elated.

“Beautiful. Fabulous. I love it!” Bush enthused. “I actually think the horse
would have been 15-1 or 16-1 if it wasn’t for Ramon riding. I was very fortunate
to get him. You’re always in good hands in the big races when you can get the
top riders, and he’s obviously the best. We were happy to get him.”

Dominguez gives a grateful look heavenward
(NYRA/Adam Coglianese)

“I was focusing on giving (Unbridled Command) the best ride that I could and
getting the most from him,” Dominguez said. “Coming to the three-eighths
pole, when I was able to squeeze in between horses, he gave me a great kick.

“I
knew I wasn’t already there, but I was excited. I said to myself, ‘win or lose,
at this point, I am within a chance of breaking the record.’ It was neat. When I
passed the wire, it was one of those (moments) to take a second to let all of it
to sink in.”

Lucky Chappy, the 6-5 favorite, closed belatedly to grab third, another
length adrift. King Kreesa reported home fourth, followed by Excaper, Set the
Sail, Starforce, Quick Wit, Spring to the Sky and Shkspeare Shaliyah. The
main-track-only Politicallycorrect stayed in the barn.

Unbridled Command improved his record to 8-4-1-2, $214,040. His only unplaced
run came in his career debut on dirt last summer. Switched to the grass
thereafter, the Master Command colt broke his maiden at Aqueduct in November.
Unbridled Command took three tries to clear his entry-level allowance condition,
checking that box at Belmont on June 23. The gray followed up with a victory in
a second-level event at Saratoga August 1, and made it three in a row in the
Saranac.

“The horse has done wonderfully up here,” Bush said. “He came out of his last
race really good and had two really good works. His last work was sensational
(:58 4/5 for five furlongs on turf August 24). It was as good as a horse can
work. I was just hoping he had enough class to run good, and he did.”

Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and A. Lakin and Sons in New York, Unbridled
Command was sold for $28,000 as a two-year-old in training at OBS April. He is
out of the unraced Unbridled’s Song mare Unbridled Betty, who is a half-sister
to stakes-winning stakes producers Tarage and Chartreuse. Another of her
half-siblings, the winning Nureyev mare Astaire Step, produced multiple Grade
1-winning millionaire Manistique.

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