SARATOGA DAILY NOTEBOOK
FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2005
by Dick Powell
Edgar Prado seized the lead in the jockey’s race with four winners today.
John Velazquez was shut out and Prado now leads the defending champ 22 to 19.
Jerry Bailey had one winner and now has 15; Eibar Coa has 14.
Prado began the day by sweeping the early double when he guided RED HANDED
ROBIN (Fit To Fight) to a length victory in the opener for Richard Dutrow Jr. If
Dutrow stays hot — six wins since returning from a 60-day suspension on August
1 — Prado will be in great shape to dethrone Velazquez.
Prado came back in the 2ND race with WIN MCCOOL (Giant’s Causeway), who broke
her maiden second time out for Bobby Barbara in the good time of 1:11.44. She
ran erratically through the stretch and drifted out but Prado never hit the
panic button and kept her going to the wire, holding on by a half-length.
Prado upset the 4TH race with FLEET HONEY (Chief Seattle), a first-time
starter from Dale Romans that was training well at Churchill before shipping up
here. She was 5-1 on the morning line and went off at nearly 12-1. After
breaking well, she took over on the far turn and held off the late charge of
Rolex Princess (Defrere), who was bumped around at the start and closed
relentlessly for Chantal Sutherland.
In the finale, Prado had a gimme aboard the well-bred ELISA’S ENERGY (Chester
House). She broke well from post 11, pressed the pace while wide, then took over
in the lane to win easily for Bobby Frankel. She’s a half-sister to Grade 2
winner Private Emblem (Our Emblem) and had these over a barrel after competing
well against open company at Hollywood Park.
Years ago, Bob Frieze was Baileys’ agent before being fired for Ron Anderson.
Frieze then picked up Prado, who moved his tack here when Richard Migliore was
injured and was immediately successful. Velazquez still has first call on Todd
Pletcher’s best horses and will not be easy to pass, but Prado rides for more
outfits and if Dutrow continues to do well the jockey’s race should come down to
the wire.
Jorge Chavez has been mired in a dreadful slump here since the meet began.
Going into Friday’s races, he was zero for 28 and his business has been reduced
to riding a bunch of longshots each day. In the 6TH race, Chavez put JUST SAY
THE WORD (Rubiano) on the lead and battled every step of the way to hang on by a
nose at 8-1 over Windward Passage (Captain Bodgit).
Friday’s stake race was the Waya S., a turf marathon for fillies and mares
going 1 1/2 miles on the inner turf course. The betting public made LATICE (Ire)
(Inchinor [GB]) the even-money favorite for Jonathan Sheppard. It was her first
start in 243 days and Sheppard was concerned about using her too hard in what
was a prep for bigger things to come.
“Coming off the layoff, I didn’t want her to use herself and get into the
Fahrenheit too early,” Sheppard said. “I wanted to see her come with a nice run
in the last three-eighths; it wouldn’t test her fitness quite so much. I was
concerned with how hard the course is. She had a little foot problem — bruised
feet — this winter when she first came over and I was quite concerned about it.
My first thought was to scratch her, and then I said to myself that the best way
to find out was walking the course myself. This is good to get this behind us.
There is the Flower Bowl (G1) and the Breeders’ Cup and all that stuff.”
Latice’s favoritism came from winning her first four career starts in France,
including the Prix de Diane Hermes (Fr-G1) last June. After being given the rest
of the summer off, she was only beaten four lengths in her first start against
males in the Prix de l’Arc de Trimomphe (Fr-G1). She finished out her
three-year-old season against the highly successful Alexander Goldrun (Gold Away
[Ire]) at Sha Tin in Hong Kong.
A Lulu ofa Menifee (Menifee) ran a monster race to be second at 16-1 despite
pressing the pace wide most of the way.
Steve Asmussen continued his winning ways with his juveniles when ALL FOR
FASHION (Mutakddim) won the 3RD race. A first-time starter purchased for $55,000
last year as a yearling and making her debut for a $75,000 claiming tag, she was
hustled to the front going into the first turn by Bailey and dominated from
there.
It Asmussen’s seventh win of the meet and fifth juvenile winner — all ridden
by Bailey. He’s won the past two maiden claimers races run for juveniles and his
youngsters are always well-prepped and ready to go.
Horses to Watch
6TH – JOSHUA’S JET (A. P Jet) was an even third despite pressing the pace
wide in his first start off the claim by Bob Young.
9TH – FIDDLERS PLEASURE (Tomorrows Cat) figured to go to the front but wound
up taking back and making a decent run behind an easy winner.
Saturday Preview
The 3RD race is a maiden special weight for two-year-olds going six furlongs.
Many beautifully bred youngsters are entered, but none more than FLANDERS FIELDS
(A.P. Indy), who is out of the great racemare FLANDERS (Seeking The Gold). He’s
been training extremely well at Churchill and here for Dallas Stewart and should
come out running. The 5TH race is the second division of this race and TESTIMONY
(Yes It’s True) is a $900,000 juvenile purchase this year by Darley Stable that
is working extremely well for his career debut. He’s bred for speed top and
bottom and the dam’s only other foal was a juvenile winner.
In the Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. (G2), I’M THE TIGER (Siphon [Brz]) merits the
nod at a price in a wide-open sprint. He was a good second last out in fast time
at Woodbine in his first start for trainer Frankel and should be a big factor
here with Todd Kabel. In the Sword Dancer Invitational (G1), we’ll go with
SILVERFOOT (With Approval) to pull off the upset with Robby Albarado. He should
have a target to chase and is versatile enough to go up and press the pace or
take back and make one, big run.