Hot Summer catches fire in Victory Ride

Hot Summer would not be denied in the Victory Ride (Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos) Harold Queen’s HOT SUMMER (Malibu Moon) grabbed her second career graded win in Saturday’s $102,000 Victory Ride S. (G3) at Saratoga by a half-length. The David Fawkes trainee ran six furlongs on the fast dirt in 1:10 under jockey Cornelio Velasquez, and as the 7-1 fifth choice returned $16.40, $8 and $4.90. Hot Summer was crowded in at the start of the race, and dropped well off the pace while ridden along. Maple Forest (Forestry) jumped out in front early, hitting the opening quarter in :21 3/5 and the half in :44 1/5. Hot Summer moved toward the inside to save some ground around the turn, and rallied on the rail in the final furlong under some encouragement.  “I liked my filly,” Velasquez said. “I told my agent she was a good fit in the race. She comes from behind and has a strong finish. I wanted to be on the inside or in the middle. I had a lot of horse.” “When Tom Durkin called her at the head of the lane, we felt good,” Fawkes said. “She ran awfully big today. It’s possible (we would train her up to the Breeders’ Cup). I have to talk to the owners.”

Maple Forest held on for second, with Roman Treasure (Roman
Ruler) third and A Z Warrior (Bernardini) fourth. Funny Sunny
(Sharp Humor), Jealous Girl (Petionville), Moon Buzz (Malibu Moon), Precious
Soul (Distorted Humor) and Offlee Wicked (Offlee Wild) rounded out the order of
finish. Valiant Passion (Lion Heart) was scratched.

This victory came as the second Grade 3 win for Hot Summer, who also won the
Comely S. (G3) at Aqueduct in April. Following that was her latest start, the 1
1/8-mile Black Eyed Susan S. (G2), where she finished third behind Royal Delta
(Empire Maker) and Buster’s Ready (More Than Ready), subsequent winners of the
Alabama S. (G1) and Mother Goose S. (G1). Hot Summer’s record now stands at
7-4-0-2, $245,700.

Bred by Lazy Lane Farms in Virginia, Hot Summer was purchased by her current
owner for $180,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. She is out of the
stakes-placed Summer Delight (Quiet American), whose first registered foal is
the multiple stakes-placed Southwest (Cozzene). The 12-year-old mare has also
produced an unnamed juvenile colt by Lemon Drop Kid, an unnamed yearling colt by
Hard Spun and a 2011 full brother to the Victory Ride heroine.

Hot Summer’s third dam is Grade 3 victress Key to the Bridge (Key to the
Mint), dam of Grade 2 scorer Islefaxyou (Storm Bird). More importantly, her
fourth dam is 1991 Broodmare of the Year Toll Booth (Buckpasser), meaning she
can trace to A.P. Indy (Seattle Slew), Summer Squall (Storm Bird) and Lemon Drop
Kid (Kingmambo), among others.