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Year 15 • No. 8
Tod
Mar
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Sunday, August 2, 2015
Texas Red (right) edges Frosted in Jim Dandy
Red Raider
aratogaT he
Saratoga’s Daily Newspaper on Thoroughbred Racing
• Rock Fall guts out Vanderbilt win• Holy Boss proves best in Amsterdam
• Stars clash in Shuvee Handicap today
2 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
P.O. Box 150 Paris, Kentucky 40362-0150 Tel.(859) 233-4252 Fax 765-0804 claibornefarm.comINQUIRIES TO BERNIE SAMS e-mail: [email protected] © ADAM COGLIANESE, MATHEA KELLY
A.P. INDY – PRAISE, by MR. PROSPECTOR
Flatter
GSW, G1-placed KOBE'S BACK
GSW, G1-placed UPSTART
G2 SW CLASSIC POINT
Top 15 Sire of 2015___________________________
6 SWs, 15 Stakes Horses , $3.8 Million
LIFETIME: 75% Winners, 15% Stakes Horses from Starters
3Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
LICENSE PLATE OF THE DAYSKYDYVR (Ohio)Not a horse name but still pretty cool
BY THE NUMBERS1: Jefferson Park sign on the backside of Saratoga (name where it hangs and get a prize).
2: Kentucky Derby-winning trainers meeting at the Clare Court gap a little after 7 a.m. Saturday– Carl Nafzger (Unbridled and Street Sense) and John Shirreffs (Giacomo).
536,000: Miles on the 2006 truck owned by Cooper Horse Transportation.
35: Dollars it costs to take a paddleboard yoga class at the Kayak Shack on Fish Creek. Bothactivities are difficult enough, thank you very much.
NAMES OF THE DAYCroke Park, first race. The 2-year-old colt, owned by Mark Breen, is by Dublin. The main stadium of the Gaelic Athletic Association, which hosts Gaelic football and hurling matches, Croke Park has been a Dublin sports fixture since 1884.
Congenial, ninth race. The 6-year-old is by Pulpit out of Charming N Lovable.
Privet Hedge, 10th race. The 4-year-old filly, a Juddmonte Farms homebred, is by First Defence out of Privity.
Sinatra, 11th race. The 6-year-old is out of My Way.
here&there... at Saratoga
Tod MarksThere She Is. Rachel’s Valentina (2-year-old daughter of champion Rachel Alexan-dra) makes her racing debut in today’s second race.
With this Cat, you getthe cream...
DarleyDISCREET CAT Forestry – Pretty Discreet (Private Account)859-255-8537 www.darleyamerica.com
Discreet Cat has sired more 2015 Graded winners than everyother stallion standing atunder $20,000 – chief amongthem, the G1 Carter hero Dads Caps.
DAR8571 Saratoga Special Discreet Cat 2 AUG15 31/07/2015 18:36 Page 1
With this Cat,you getthe cream...
DarleyDISCREET CAT Forestry – Pretty Discreet (Private Account)859-255-8537 www.darleyamerica.com
Discreet Cat has sired more 2015 Graded winners than everyother stallion standing atunder $20,000 – chief amongthem, the G1 Carter hero Dads Caps.
DAR8571 Saratoga Special Discreet Cat 2 AUG15 31/07/2015 18:36 Page 1
4 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
OBITUARYGrace Cooper, widow of National Steeplechase and Hunt Association executive secretary,
Jack Cooper, passed away July 30, in Litchfield, Conn. She was 101 years old.Throughout her husband’s 44-year career as with the NSHA (1932-76), she embodied the
role of loving wife and soulmate. By the time Jack died in 2004 (at 93) they had enjoyed 67 years of marriage and, in the close-knit steeplechase community, they were virtually inseparable.
Grace Cooper is survived by her sons Robert Waide Cooper and John E. Cooper, Jr. Her daughter Joan Denu predeceased her in 2011. She leaves eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Calling hours will be held on Sunday, Aug. 2, from 4-6 p.m. at Rowe Funeral Home, 283 Torrington Road, Litchfield, Conn. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Monday, Aug. 3 at 11 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 49 South St., Litchfield.
WORTH REPEATING“I always said when I retired it would be in a hurdle race at Saratoga. I’m just about the right weight.”
Retired jockey and new mother Rosie Napravnik
“This is Saratoga.”Jockey Javier Castellano on a clear, brisk Friday morning
“Keep driving.”Trainer Bruce Levine, when hearing that Saturday morning’s rainbow stopped at him
“Just like a morning at Parx, right?”Owner Joe Villante, on a beautiful, bustling Saratoga Saturday morning
here&there... at Saratoga
800-523-8143
“Most unbelievable horse I’ve ever seen. And they’re handling it good. Baffert’s handling it good, Zayat’s handling it good.
It’s been a special treat. I’ve never been so impressed in my life. He’s the most unreal horse I’ve ever seen.”
Hall of Fame trainer Carl Nafzger on American Pharoah
QUOTE OF THE DAY
YOUR SOURCE FOR NY-BREDS Phone: (518) 423-2028
www.saratogaglenfarm.com
NAME OF THE DAYWoke Up Tired, first race.
Appropriate for Monday morning of sales week. That’s us.
Made Bail, fifth race. Breeder/owner/trainer Susan Cooney’s 3-year-old
is by Closing Argument and out of an Emancipator mare.
Tod MarksChampion Crossing. Steeplechase star Demonstrative and Laird George take a stroll through the stable area Saturday.
5Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
What time is your horse set to work?
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6 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
The aratoga
Raising and Selling Racehorses
Visit Headley and Price online …millridge.com or nicoma.com
NICOMA
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®and its affiliate
Mill Ridge MomentsMill Ridge MomentsMill Ridge Moments John Stephen Hockensmith ©
Editors/PublishersSean Clancy: (302) 545-7713. [email protected] Clancy: (302) 545-4424. joe @thisishorseracing.com
Managing EditorTom Law: (859) 396-9407. [email protected]
Circulation/Advertising Sales/Etc.: Jack Clancy, Nolan Clancy.
Writers/Handicappers: Charles Bedard, Billy Blake, Gaile Fitzgerald, Teresa Genaro, Annise Montplaisir, John Shapazian, Chad Summers, Brandon Valvo.
Photographers: Tod Marks, Dave Harmon, Connie Bush.
Layout/Design: Kaitlyn Vishneowski.
112 Spring Street, Suite 205Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
www.thisishorseracing.comPublished Wednesday through Sunday
during the racing season. Every day of Sales Week Aug. 9-16.
The Saratoga Special, thisishorseracing.comThoroughbred Racing Calendar, The Best of The Saratoga Special.
Call us about your editorial needs.
Home Office: 364 Fair Hill Drive, Suite F, Elkton, MD 21921(410) 392-5867 • Fax (410) 392-0170
here&there... at SaratogaWORTH REPEATING“That actually worked.”
Trainer Rick Violette, after radioing exercise rider Rodney Paine to slow down Saturday morning
“Look at all that clover.”Exercise rider, as she began to gallop on the Oklahoma turf Saturday morning
“Go to the beach and turn.”Saratoga announcer Larry Collmus, about how to leave Monmouth Park after the Haskell
“I don’t know what you guys are are talking about but yes.”Tracey Wilkes, overhearing conversation between Ian Wilkes
and Tom Law after overhearing the former say, “She’s a good wife.”
“She’s so sweet. Watch her, she lowers her head so they can wash her head. She doesn’t do anything wrong. We need to breed her to American Pharoah. By disposition, they’re both just alike, and she can run.”
Hall of Fame trainer Carl Nafzger on possible future plans for Tiz Windy
“I’m Pinkie, she’s The Brain.”Exerciser rider Robbie Walsh, to a photographer’s request
for names (of the horses, not the riders)
“I’m not kissing her.”Youngster on Spring Run Trail, after being told Katie the Labrador likes sloppy kisses. Tod Marks
Gray Ghost. The Native Dancer statue – or maybe it’s something else entirely – is just about ready for its public debut at the end of Union Avenue.
7Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
Gary Contessa’s first summer in Saratoga happened in 1978 with a 12-hours-a-day job as a groom/pony boy/exercise boy/hotwalker/foreman for Jimmy Picou. The barn did not have running hot water, instead rely-ing on a 55-gallon drum propped up on cinder blocks over a flame fueled by a propane tank.
The days were filled with hard work, excitement – and a little con-cern that the propane tank would ex-plode. But he wouldn’t have changed a thing.
“When you worked for Jimmy Pi-cou you got two- or three-hundred dollars a week and you did EVERY-THING,” Contessa said. “And when you got done, you vacuumed horses, polished brass, kept working. You didn’t get out of there until 5 or 6 o’clock at night and you know what, we never wanted to go. We wanted to hang out in the barn all day long.”
Now, Contessa trains 30 horses on the Oklahoma side, with another 30 downstate. He won nine races here last year, and set his over/under total for this season at 10.
“Opening week, I’m not going to lie, I won one and I thought I should have won three,” said Contessa, who has two wins through Saturday. “The two that didn’t win got claimed so that puts a damper on you, but I still think I could be in the 10 range. There are no easy races here. You put your horse in what you think is a good spot but then you see everybody else had the same thought you did.”
Friday morning, Contessa went through his barn list with The Spe-cial’s Joe Clancy and started with a predictable name.
Uncle Sigh: “Any stable tour in this barn starts with Uncle Sigh.
Shortly after the (Kentucky) Derby last year he injured his back. He was in a stake at Monmouth and he was cross-entered in one here and four days before the race he gets cast in the stall at night and he was just not right in behind. We all shrug it off and think, ‘We’ll give him three/four days off, we’ll jog him for a week, what-ever.’ We couldn’t get him right, sent him for a scintigraphy and the only thing that lit up were the muscles in his back. We sent him home and fig-ured three months would do it. A year later, he’s back and he’s training with a passion. He will run at this meet. He’s got conditions. He’ll be ready to run in the next (condition) book. He’s exciting. He makes it easy to get up in the morning. To watch him train and train well is just great.”
Modiste: “She’s an Uncle Mo 2-year-old filly who ran fourth first time out in Belmont and ran with en-thusiasm going 5 furlongs and you
know she’s going to get better with distance and she’s training very well up here.”
Wallydabally. “Malibu Moon colt. He’s named after some sort of cartoon character that is held in a state of endearment by the guy who named him. He’s training very for-wardly and we like him a lot.”
Turco Bravo: “He won a stakes this winter (the Stymie at Aqueduct). I don’t see anything for him, but we’re going to main-track-only him to death in these three-other-than, four-other-than races, money allowances, minor stakes, and one of these days it’s going to rain and he’s going to be hell on wheels.”
Aimone: “A Lemon Drop Kid fil-ly we ran here last year. She finished third and fractured her pastern. It’s been a year and she’s back. She’ll run next week. She’s worth waiting for.”
Runway Ready: “She’s in the stake on Sunday (the Caress). Five horses going 5 1/2 on the turf? I thought it was a misprint. I love that she’s in. She’s a second-level stake filly, a de-cent filly and she runs well.”
Unbridled Command: “I entered him in an extra and the race didn’t go. He’s a little difficult to place because everything seems to be short for him. He wants to go a mile-and-a-quarter, a mile-and-three-eighths. I’ve run him in the New York-bred races against those killers – King Kreesa, Lubash and horses like that – and the races aren’t long enough. I’m trying to get him in the three-other-than on the turf going a mile-and-three-eighths and it’s up as an extra.”
Paratrooper: “Cot Campbell (of Dogwood Stable) bought him private-ly after he won first time out. We’re nominating to all the 2-year-old rac-es, but we’re pointing him toward the Saratoga Special or the With Antici-pation. We’re going to try and figure out if he’s a dirt horse or a turf horse, but I’m impressed by him.”
Steamboat Bill: “We had him in on the turf here and I don’t know if 2-year-olds can read but of course he started coughing on the day of the race so we had to scratch. He’s here and he’s a nice, solid 2-year-old.”
Stable Tour:SARATOGA STABLE TOUR. Meet the people & horses who make Saratoga GO!
T H E S A R A T O G A S A L E A U G U S T 1 0 - 1 1
with Gary Contessa
Every day at Saratoga, The Special (with help from sponsor Fasig-Tipton)
presents an exclusive Stable Tour with a Saratoga trainer. For more, see: thisishorseracing.com/stabletours
8 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
Each year, the equineindustry has a
multi-billion-dollar economic impact
on New York State. It provides tens of thousands of jobs
while preserving the State’s irreplaceable
farmland.
$4.2-billio neconomic
impacton the State
New York equine industry provides
33,000full-time jobs
$187 million in annual taxes paid
from the horse industry to state andlocal governments
Projection of morethan $60 million
in restricted pursemoney and awards
for NY-breds in 2015
nytbreeders.org | 518.587.0777
For more information visit our websiteor call 518.388.0174
PHOTOS BY ADAM COGLIANESE, BARBARA D. LIVINGSTON, SKIP DICKSTEIN
The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association
www.nytha.com | 516.488.2337 visit us on Facebook
Tod
Mar
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hoto
“I’ll never forget the first horse I galloped on the racetrack. He was trying to run off with me, I was trying to hold him and I was saying, ‘Man, I just got here, they’re going to say this green-ass kid and they’ll be all over me.’ He was pulling me so hard, I got around there somehow, I was saying, ‘I can’t let him do this to me. They’ll make fun of me. I just came in from the farm.’ I was galloping about four wide and here he comes this horse, ‘bdd, bdd, bdd,’ he was coal black, not a patch of white on him. Apache. I looked over, ‘Wowww.’ He was the best sprinter in America. That must have been the last year he raced when he went zooming past me. The horse I breezed, they said work the horse three-quarters in 15. How would I know, three-quarters in 15? I let him run, chirped to him and he went three quarters in 15, I don’t know how I did it.”
– Trainer Allen Jerkens, 1929-2015
The Chief . . . Day 8
Building two-year-olds one individual at a time
(859) 312-3414 | kirkwoodstables.comof the day
New School & Old School.Photo by Connie Bush
(859) 224-2765www.thoroughbredaftercare.org
9Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
Cheers!To a great Saratoga meet
StarLadies Racing, the all-female racing partnership, is ready for the 2015 Kentucky Oaks-G1.
ContactDonna Barton [email protected]
Managing PartnersLaurie Wolf, Barbara Lucarelli
TrainerTodd Pletcher www.StarlightRacing.com
10 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
PIONEEROFTHE NILE
2.78
WAR FRONT2.40
GHOSTZAPPER 2.36
TAPIT2.33
AWESOME AGAIN2.16
www.WinSta rFa r m.com(859) 873 - 1717
T h e f i r s t h o r s e i n3 7 Y E A R S t o s i r e a
T R I P L E C R O W N W I N N E R
L O O K F O R M O R E P I O N E E R SAT F - T S A R AT O G A S E L E C T
LEADING SIRESBY AEI
BY SEAN CLANCYKent Desormeaux walked back to
the jocks’ room and was asked what it meant to win the Jim Dandy aboard Texas Red. He could have gone any-where – his joyous return to Sarato-ga, the emotion of winning a Grade 2 stakes for his brother, the class of Texas Red.
Instead, he talked about the tra-vails of another eventful week in the life of the Hall of Fame jockey.
“Redemption. It’s been a long week and that just closes it,” Desormeaux said. “I’m just thrilled that everybody
knows that everything is OK. With me.”
Desormeaux had failed a breatha-lyzer and was taken off his remaining two mounts at Del Mar Wednesday. He blamed a carbonated drink for the failed test Thursday. Friday, he rode two at Del Mar and didn’t beat a horse. By Saturday, Desormeaux was back at his best, guiding Texas Red to a half-length win over Frosted in the
Tod MarksKent Desormeaux shows the crowd who No. 1 is after Texas Red’s Jim Dandy win.
JIM DANDY STAKES RECAP
He’s backDesormeaux engineers return of Breeders’ Cup hero Texas Red
See JIM DANDY page 12
11Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
Eclipse partners were all smiles after Curalina captured the Grade 1 CCA Oaks at The Spa
Honoring Tradition. Inspiring Innovation. Making History.Thank you to all of our loyal racing partners who always BELIEVE BIG!
Contact:Aron Wellman(310) 968 - [email protected]
Jack Sadler(803) 920 - [email protected] eclipsetbpartners.com /eclipsetbp @eclipsetbp
Photo Credit: Adam Coglianese
12 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
14 Phila St. Saratoga Springs, NY 518.580.0003. www.harveyspub.com
Grade 2 Jim Dandy. Owned by Erich Brehm, Wayne Detmar, Lee
Michaels, Keith Desormeaux, Dr. Gene Voss and others, Texas Red returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November at Santa Anita.
Sent off second choice in the field of four, Texas Red adopted a comfortable stalking position off Ja-pan as Frosted parked three wide around the first turn. Japan strolled through the first quarter mile in :24.37 as Texas Red separated from Frosted, 2 lengths off the lead and 2 lengths in front of the favorite. Longshot Frammento lagged in last.
Down the backside, Japan loped in the 3 path and Texas Red stalked in the 5 path, through a half in :48.15 and three quarters in 1:11.92. Midway on the turn, as Frosted moved along the rail, De-sormeaux pumped rhythmically but far from des-perately as Texas Red began to siphon off Japan’s advantage.
Texas Red drifted out as Desormeaux brought his whip hand off the reins near the quarter pole but he turned for home with Japan in a net. Frosted rallied, aiming at a hole between Texas Red and Japan, before altering course for one sustained bid. It materialized but was far from definitive as De-sormeaux cracked Texas Red three times left-hand-
ed before hand-riding him to the win. Texas Red, a Kentucky-bred son of Afleet Alex, finished 9 fur-longs in 1:48.77.
Once Desormeaux cleared the air, he transi-tioned into his patented stream of emotion and
insight, stringing sentences like Johnny Appleseed handed out apples.
“The leader scraped the paint, I stayed five wide, just trying to keep a target, he was absolutely can-
Jim Dandy – Continued from page 10
Tod MarksTexas Red (right) fights off Frosted near the wire of the Jim Dandy.
See JIM DANDY page 14
13Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
Maryland-breds run with the best.Today’s Grade 3 Shuvee S fun facts.
Did you know it used to run in May at Belmont?
Maryland-bred and owned Shiny Brand won it in 2002 and
Pearl necklace won it in 1979, on her way to winning
seven graded NY stakes and
$737,862. Both were foaled at
Mrs. Richard C. Dupont’s Woodstock
Farm in Chesapeake City, MD.
look for Maryland-breds in the winner’s circle at race tracks all over the world.
Watch for them at the sales.
Maryland horse Breeders associationP.O. Box 427, Timonium, MD 21093 • 410.252.2100
14 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
DAYATTHESPA PALACEMALICE
COMPETITIVEEDGEMARCH
PARRANDAIRONICUS
KOBE’SBACKMRSPEAKER
RELOADIMAGINING
SUMMERFRONT
Niall Brennan StablesOcala, Fl (352) 732-7459niallbrennan.com
SuccessisnoAccident...
And the story continues...
tering. I was most impressed about the fact of how quick I got to them. I know because I watched Japan’s legs, he took off when he felt my horse’s presence and I got by him right now,” Desormeaux said. “He went on spar-ingly from the three sixteenths pole to inside the sixteenth, but when the pres-ence of the neighbor was felt, he just threw out the rope and I could have towed him home, it was that amazing, that scintillating of an effort.”
Texas Red won for the third time in eight starts. It took him three tries to break his maiden, then he finished third behind American Pharoah in the FrontRunner at Santa Anita in September. From there, he upset the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, turning an 11-length deficit to a 6 ½-length ad-vantage. This season has included as many stops as starts, as he finished second in the San Vicente in Febru-ary, then missed five months and the Triple Crown. That was OK to De-sormeaux.
“I was just hoping to God he wasn’t finished. I was happy he was still in the barn and was just going to need time. That’s all he needed, time,” Desormeaux said. “Thank God for Keith’s patience, because I don’t know if I could have done it if I was at the helm of his training. He has a plan and he sticks to it.”
After missing five months, Texas Red re-turned to finish second in the one-turn Dwyer July 4 at Belmont Park. He came to Saratoga, worked an easy half two weeks later and a bullet 5 furlongs a week before the Jim Dandy.
Desormeaux doesn’t ask any questions.
“He always gives me a leg up and says, ‘This race don’t mean anything. Ride him like you always ride. He finishes where he fin-ishes.’ It puts me at great ease,” Desormeaux said. “Who would run this horse one turn in the Dwyer? He says, ‘You ride him, I’ll re-
vive him.’ He’s very adamant about how there’s a particular way to get to Point A, you’ve got to start at D. You don’t start at A and get to A.”
If you’re correlating letters to rac-es, then the Jim Dandy would be C, the Travers would be B, the Breeders’ Cup Classic would be A…or some-thing like that.
Keith Desormeaux will worry about that. Based at Del Mar for the summer, the trainer wasn’t at Sarato-ga for the Jim Dandy but explained Texas Red’s 3-year-old season earlier in the week.
“He’s been a battle to get over his ailments, which came at the most in-opportune time, during the prep for the Derby. So we had to back off of him then, but it’s not a big deal, the horse doesn’t owe us anything,” De-sormeaux said. “He’s a class animal to be around. He’s been nothing but a joy, and he owes us nothing. So we weren’t disappointed that we couldn’t make that at all – it’s just part of the game. So we brought him around slow and he excelled, and he had a great comeback race in the Dwyer, which I think sets him up perfectly for the Jim Dandy, and ultimately the Travers.”
So far, so good.
Jim Dandy – Continued from page 12
Tod MarksTexas Red has the last laugh in the Jim Dandy.
15Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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16 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
BY TERESA GENAROLike the fine wine for which he is named, Rock
Fall just keeps getting better with age. In the most testing race of his short but nearly
perfect career, the 4-year-old even-money favorite joined forces with The Big Beast in the stretch of the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Saturday after-noon, the two running in tandem past tiring pace-setter Favorite Tale in a duel to the wire that was too close to call, until the photo revealed Rock Fall had prevailed by a nose under a strong drive by
See VANDERBILT page 17 Tod Marks
Rock Fall (3) battles The Big Beast in the final yards of Saturday’s Vanderbilt.
SolidGround
Rock Fall rallies pastThe Big Beast in photo
A.G. VANDERBILT STAKES RECAP
17Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
jockey Javier Castellano.“That was exciting,” said Barbara
Banke of owner Stonestreet Stables. “A little more exciting than I wanted.”
The woman who is used to wait-ing for the grapes in her vineyards to mature has had to exercise that same patience with her dark bay/brown colt, first when he hit some bumps on the road to his first race, and Saturday when she had to wait to see if he’d be declared the winner.
Disqualified from a win Friday with Global Strike, Banke said that she’d been “kicked out of the winner’s cir-cle” and didn’t want to go through that again.
“I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t want to come [to the winner’s circle] prema-turely,” she said. “It would be bad to do that twice.”
Winning trainer Todd Pletcher had similar thoughts watching live.
“I thought we had him, and then I thought he was coming back and he had us,” Pletcher. “Javier said The Big Beast just re-rallied.”
Banke purchased the winner, whose sire Speightstown won the 2004 Van-derbilt age 6, at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale for $250,000.
“I loved his mother, Renda,” she said. “And he’s by Medaglia d’Oro. And he just had the look. He was a
Vanderbilt – Continued from page 16
Tod MarksWooh, that was close Todd Pletcher.
See VANDERBILT page 18
18 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
POCAHONTAS (GII)2015 “Win and You’re In Juvenile Fillies Division”
2016 Kentucky Oaks Points Race
Runs Sat., Sept. 12$200,000Fillies, Two Years Old
Closes Aug. 26($200 nomination fee)1 1/16 Miles
IROQUOIS (GIII)2015 “Win and You’re In Juvenile Division”
2016 Kentucky Derby Points Race
Runs Sat., Sept. 12$150,000Two Year Olds
Closes Aug. 26($150 nomination fee)1 1/16 Miles
LOCUST GROVE (Listed)
Runs Sat., Sept. 12$100,000Fillies & Mares, Three Years Old & Up
Closes Aug. 26($100 nomination fee) 1 1/16 Miles
OPEN MIND
Runs Sat., Sept. 12$100,000Fillies & Mares, Three Years Old & Up
Closes Aug. 26($100 nomination fee)6 Furlongs
DOGWOOD (GIII)
Runs Sat., Sept. 19$100,000Fillies, Three Years Old
Closes Sept. 2($100 nomination fee)7 Furlongs
ACK ACK HANDICAP (GIII)
Runs Sat., Sept. 26$100,000Three Year Olds & Up
Closes Sept. 9($100 nomination fee)1 Mile
LUKAS CLASSIC (Listed)
Runs Sat., Sept. 26$175,000Three Year Olds & Up
Closes Sept. 9($175 nomination fee) 1 1/8 Mile
JEFFERSON CUP (GIII)
Runs Sat., Sept. 26$100,000Three Year Olds
Closes Sept. 9($100 nomination fee) 1 Mile Turf
2015 September Meet Stakes Schedule
September 11 - 27
Ben Huffman Racing Secretary: 502.638.3820 • [email protected] Bork Stakes Coordinator: 502.638.3806 • [email protected]: 502.636.4479
beautiful horse. Not that big, but beautiful.”
Banke knows something of success with Medaglia d’Oro offspring, hav-ing campaigned the 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra with her late husband Jess Jackson.
As a young horse, Rock Fall was as fast as he was beautiful, impressing Banke in his early days on the farm. But when Pletcher came to check him out, the horse threw in what she called “a clunker of a workout,” lead-ing the Eclipse Award winning trainer to express a little skepticism about his new charge.
But when he arrived at Pletcher’s New York barn, Rock Fall won him over with his speed, and soon, with his race record.
A variety of minor maladies kept Rock Fall from making his first start until he was 3; a dismal eighth in that first race, at Gulfstream Park in April 2014, he has now reeled off six con-secutive wins, all by comfortable mar-gins until the Vanderbilt.
The Big Beast was a formidable foe, returning to the track over which he won twice last year, including the Grade 1 King’s Bishop. Off for the fall season, he returned at Oaklawn Park in March and won an allowance race
before returning to stakes company in April’s Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct. Fourth there and scratched from the Belmont Sprint Champi-onship with a minor foot injury last month, The Big Beast returned to form Saturday – but came up just short.
“I was hoping,” said owner Alex Lieblong. “But I knew it was close. I didn’t see it, but I heard that [jockey John Velazquez] dropped his whip.”
Indeed he did, yanking off his gog-gles in deep stretch to improvise a crop to urge his mount home.
“It didn’t help, but the other horse is a very good horse,” said Lieblong. “We knew he was the horse to beat. And when they run 1:08, you know they’re clicking.”
Final time of the Vanderbilt was 1:08.75, a few ticks off Speight-stown’s stakes record of 1:08.04.
Rock Fall might not have been able to best his sire’s record, but he did do something his sire didn’t.
“Speightstown didn’t win a Grade 1 until he was 6, so Rock Fall is ahead of him by two years,” Banke pointed out.
The winner is named for a wine produced by what Banke called her home vineyard, a wine she character-ized as “a fabulous old cabernet.”
“We wanted a really good horse named after the wine,” she said. “And tonight we will be drinking that wine. And probably lots of it.”
Vanderbilt – Continued from page 17
Tod MarksRock Fall and The Big Beast battle to the line.
20 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
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BY TOM LAWSteve Asmussen freely admitted he was more
than a little concerned when he shipped Holy Boss from his barn at Belmont Park to Saratoga Race Course with an eye on the summer’s two major graded sprint stakes for 3-year-olds.
He wasn’t concerned with Holy Boss per se, not surprising considering the son of Street Boss was 4-for-7 in his career 3-for-4 this season. Asmussen’s concerns were there, however, heading into Sat-urday’s Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes and he’d seen
See AMSTERDAM page 21 Tod Marks
Holy Boss and Ricardo Santana Jr. glide home with a Grade 2 stakes win in the Amsterdam
DivineVictory
Holy Boss wins third straight sprint stakes
AMSTERDAM STAKES RECAP
21Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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enough races at Saratoga to know they were justified.
The concerns faded some when Holy Boss breezed a bullet 5 furlongs in :59.20 out of the gate July 21, and disappeared completely when he blast-ed five foes in the first of Saturday’s stakes four-pack.
“Not everybody holds their form at Saratoga,” Asmussen said. “Whether it’s the company or the circumstances or the surface, so you’re always look-ing for a little confidence.”
Holy Boss gave his connections plen-ty of confidence this winter at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., where he started his 3-year-old campaign with a second at odds-on in an allowance-op-tional before a victory two months lat-er in a similar spot. He added the Bach-elor Stakes in early April and the Chick Lang on the Preakness undercard in mid-May to set up his bid for the Am-sterdam.
“I love him winning a race on this stage,” Asmussen said. “The (Chick Lang) validated what we were seeing at Oaklawn. He ran really well at Oak-lawn and the (Chick Lang) validated it.”
More than one onlooker near the Pimlico winner’s circle noticed that Holy Boss was a near spitting image of his sire, the multiple Grade 1-winning sprinter by Street Cry who stands at Darley in Lexington.
While the powerfully built chest-nut colt isn’t quite to the point his sire reached, he’s getting closer and Asmus-sen said a return to Grade 1 company could be next.
Holy Boss ran in last fall’s Grade 1 Champagne, but he wasn’t at his best and finished a distant fifth behind Daredevil and Upstart. Until the Am-sterdam, the 1-mile race was his only start beyond 6 furlongs.
The 7-furlong King’s Bishop is on the colt’s itinerary and after Asmussen conferred with owner Jerry Durant he just needed a plan to get to the race on the undercard of the Aug. 29 Travers Stakes.
“We gave him a little bit of a break off that and we were trying to use this as a prep for the King’s Bishop,” As-mussen said. “You’re just happy to see
Amsterdam – Continued from page 20
See AMSTERDAM page 22
22 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
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him handle the surface here, it’s not for all of them. If anything I thought he showed more maturity to-day than he has in his previous races and looked very good to the wire.”
The 6 1/2-furlong Amsterdam wasn’t all that dif-ferent from the Chick Lang. Holy Boss and jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. chased Victory Is Sweet, put that rival away at about the eighth pole and cruised to a 2-length victory in 1:09.61 for the 6 furlongs.
Going a half-furlong farther, Victory Is Sweet was back again in the Amsterdam, with a victory in an allowance race June 27 in between, and again set the pace.
Jose Ortiz put him on the lead and they clicked off strong splits of :22.17 and :44.83 with Holy Boss, Barbados, Requite and March giving chase through the early stages.
Holy Boss, who started from the outside in the field of six, came wide around the turn and caught Victory Is Sweet inside the eighth pole. Santana dropped his stick in deep stretch, but didn’t need it as they cruised to the wire 2 ¼ lengths clear of Re-quite in 1:15.38. Kentucky shipper Barbados, the 2-1 favorite, won a photo with Victory Is Sweet for third.
Santana, who rides primarily in the Midwest at Indiana Grand Race Course this time of year, has
ridden Holy Boss in all but one of his eight starts. He missed the ride in the Bachelor because he was sick and Luis Quinonez subbed.
“I have a lot of confidence in him, I’ll go any-where he goes,” Santana said, walking back to the jockeys’ room after he hung out in the winner’s circle watching his fellow riders race in the annu-al footrace that’s part of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund benefit day. “He’s a fast horse, nice
horse and does nothing wrong.”Holy Boss was bred in Kentucky by Adena
Springs and sold for $135,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale. He didn’t run until Sep-tember last year, winning a Churchill Downs maid-en race by 10 1/4 lengths.
He lost his next three, including the Champagne, before launching his four-race winning streak in March.
Amsterdam – Continued from page 21
Tod MarksThe Holy Boss team filled up the winner’s circle afterward.
23Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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24 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
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Good luck to everyone at Saratoga, but especially to the connections of BROOKLYN SPEIGHTS and FROST JORDAN!
BY TOM LAWNearly unstoppable. There are many words and phras-
es that could describe the run Todd Pletcher is on a fifth of the way through the 2015 Saratoga Race Course meeting.
Those seem the most apropos at the moment.
One race removed from winning the Alfred G. Vanderbilt with Rock Fall, and 27 minutes removed from Madefromlucky winning the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Race Track, Pletcher took down a third graded stakes in a 35-minute span when Red Rifle blasted the field in the Grade 2 Bowling Green Handicap.
As Saratoga’s 11-time leading trainer and the odds-on choice now to make it an even dozen titles made his way out of the winner’s circle into the clubhouse Saturday, surely there was a race somewhere he was about to take down. Turns out there wasn’t, at least for the time being and Pletch-er instead retreated to the trustees room to celebrate a win by a gelding he called a “throwback horse.”
“I’m going to watch the Jim Dan-dy right now as a spectator,” Pletcher said. Tod Marks
Red Rifle drives clear late in Saturday’s Bowling Green.
BOWLING GREEN RECAP
Top GunRed Rifle keeps the Pletcher barn humming with inside run on turf
See BOWLING GREEN page 25
25Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
Pletcher earned a little R&R, after winning sev-en races over the last three days at Saratoga from 17 starters. He’s atop the Saratoga standings with 13 wins, six more than Bill Mott.
“Unbelievable run,” Pletcher said of the last few days and the beat could continue today with 18 horses entered at Saratoga and Monmouth Park, including Stopchargingmaria in the Grade 3 Shuvee at the former and Competitive Edge in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at the latter.
Red Rifle’s 2 ½-length win over War Dancer in the Bowling Green emphasized not only the depth and strength of Pletcher’s stable, but the gelding’s own versatility.
The 5-year-old Giant’s Causeway gelding won the 1 ¼-mile Dominion Day Stakes on Polytrack at Woodbine a month ago, his fourth career stakes victory along with the Maxxam Gold Cup and Grade 2 Hawthorne Gold Cup on dirt and the Yan-kee Affair going 12 furlongs on grass.
The 1 3/8-mile Bowling Green was his second try at graded company on the grass, following a close second in Keeneland’s Sycamore last fall, and he did it professionally with Javier Castellano aboard.
Castellano let Red Rifle settle early and got him covered up to save ground around the first turn. They stayed there past the stands the first time and
into the clubhouse turn while Iron Power set the pace with Morning Calm, War Dancer, Dramedy and Al Khali on the outside giving the closest chase. Iron Power still led past the 1-mile mark in 1:38.16, while Castellano started to inch closer as Imagining and War Dancer made bids for the lead
Red Rifle split those two, responded to Castella-no’s right-handed whip and was clear in an instant. He cruised to the wire under a hand ride, winning for the second time in six starts this season for own-er Twin Creeks Racing.
“In a long-distance race on the grass, the most important thing is to save all the ground, and that’s exactly what I did,” said Castellano, who also rode Rock Fall for Pletcher. “I’m very satisfied with the way he did it.”
Bred by Twin Creeks and Tom and Nancy Clark, Red Rifle was purchased by Maverick Racing – an entity affiliated with WinStar Farm – for $250,000 at the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale. Originally pegged as a possible classics contender, Red Rifle didn’t make it to the races until March of his 3-year-old season with WinStar and Twin Creeks Racing listed as his owners.
Pletcher tried him on dirt and Polytrack in his first two starts, and Red Rifle won both, before tak-ing a crack at the Grade 3 Hill Prince. He finished fourth there and managed just one win – the Maxx-am Gold Cup at Sam Houston – over his next four starts. WinStar was looking to get out after he was fourth and last in the Grade 3 Westchester on the dirt at Belmont.
“WinStar and Twin Creeks had him and when the Derby dreams were over and it didn’t look like he was going to make it into the WinStar stallion barn, Twin Creeks bought out their half,” Pletcher said. “They castrated him and it’s made him into a better horse.”
Red Rifle did turn the corner and finished first, second or third in nine of his 11 starts since being gelded, including the $250,000 Bowling Green.
“He just won the Dominion Day on the Poly-track, he’s won the Hawthorne Gold Cup on the dirt and now he’s won multiple stakes on the grass,” Pletcher said. He’s kind of a throwback horse that does a little bit of everything. He’s hardy and tough. This was a cool win.”
Red Rifle also led a pretty cool procession of numbers across the finish line. The horses num-bered 1 through 6 finished in that order – Red Rifle, War Dancer, Imagining, Iron Power, Morning Calm and Golden Soul. Innovation Economy, winner of the 2-mile Belmont Gold Cup last time and the 2-1 favorite in the field of nine, broke down after nearly completing a full circuit of the inner turf and was euthanized on the track.
Bowling Green – Continued from page 24
thisishorseracing.com
26 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
Tears flowed from Greg Burchell’s eyes moments after Saturday’s second race at Saratoga Race Course. The 6-furlong maiden event for 2-year-olds was more than a horse race to him.
Sticksstatelydude broke his maiden in his second start, passing Conquest Nitro and Ready Dancer in the stretch of the 6-furlong sprint, to set off the emotional celebration.
As family and friends gathered in the winner’s circle, Burchell had one person on his mind: Alvin Haynes.
“Stick,” as he was called, died last July. He is one of three owners listed, and his sons were in Saratoga Saturday to see the 2-year-old colt by First Dude win in his second start.
Burchell and winning trainer Kiaran McLaugh-lin have been best friends since they were 9 years old, and they grew up in Kentucky with Haynes. Burchell trained Sticksstatelydude for his debut in
June at Churchill Downs, but now the horse is un-der McLaughlin’s care.
While Burchell spoke with a heavy heart, he still had it in him to crack a joke about his longtime friend.
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to fire him and get the horse back,” said Burchell, who added that the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes on closing day is on the radar for Sticksstatelydude.
– Billy Blake
• Waco, who endured the long winter months here in upstate New York, fired fresh off a layoff to win the third race on the lead. Sent off at 12-1, the Medaglia d’Oro gelding was left alone on the lead in his first start since December and gutted out
a three-quarter-length victory over Loose On The Town in the 6-furlong allowance under Eric Cancel.
“I gave him a vacation on the farm,” winning trainer Jim Bond said. “We have a little farm here. We turned him out for a few months. He kind of likes this racetrack, so he’s been here since about the middle of April getting ready for Saratoga.”
Waco was read and fired fresh, putting up blaz-ing fractions of :21.68 and :44.54 before turning for home with a 2-length lead. He ran his final quarter in :25.44, but it was enough to register the upset and give Bond his first winner of the meet.
“It does (feel good),” Bond said. “I’ve been here quite a few years and I like to win a few times a year to keep our record. I’m very fortunate.”
Waco improved to 2-for-3 with a second at Sara-toga.
Tod MarksSticksstatelydude leads the pack home in Saturday’s second race for maiden 2-year-olds.
Connections of 2YO winner Sticksstatelydude remember late co-owner
SATURDAY RACING RECAP
Lasting Memory
See SATURDAY page 27
27Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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Bond was happy for Waco and even more pleased to win for longtime owner William Clifton Jr.
“Mr. Clifton is one of the greatest. I’ll tell you, he’s given me some great horses to win the Travers, win the Whitney, win ‘em all. Any time I can win a race for him, it’s an honor and a privilege.”
– Brandon Valvo
• Almasty used his speed to handle his 11 rivals in the sixth race, a 1-mile allowance race on the
grass, for his third career victory. The 3-year-old Scat Daddy colt was shortening up in distance after trying a 1 1/16-mile allowance in June at Churchill Downs.
“That didn’t hurt, that’s for sure,” winning own-er John Wentworth said of the slight turn back. “He was super sharp last time and he just got revved up and they couldn’t really shut him down. He broke a little more softly this time and he was more re-laxed.”
A realtor from Michigan, Wentworth enjoyed the victory with his father-in-law, who also owns part of the horse, and his best friend.
Almasty’s front-running effort also gave train-er Brad Cox his first win of the Saratoga meet, al-
though he was at Mountaineer Race Track to sad-dle Carve in the West Virginia Governor’s Stakes.
Winning at Saratoga Race Course never comes easy, and Wentworth understands the importance of Almasty’s triumph.
“It’s a blessing, no doubt,” he said. – Billy Blake
• Time and maturity were two elements that came into play for Draft Day, who picked up the second win of his career against a mostly older and more experienced field in the finale.
The 3-year-old New York-bred Kitten’s Joy colt
Saturday – Continued from page 26
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28 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
won his first start May 31 at Belmont going 6 furlongs on the grass and Sat-urday’s win came at 5 1/2 furlongs.
“He ran pretty fast first out,” said John Terranova, who trains Draft Day for Sovereign Stable. “We knew we had to improve and mature a lit-tle bit before he took on winners, and we were kind of pointing for up here; thought the 5 1/2 would be great for him up here. He’s a pretty fast horse.”
Angel Cruz, who won the jockey footrace earlier in the day that was part of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund Day festivities, rode Draft Day to the 4-length victory over Dark Roast.
“First time I rode him, he was a nice horse,” Cruz said. “The second time I knew he was going to do bet-ter.”
Terranova was also anxious to run Draft Day back against state-bred winners.
“It was the second start, obviously he knows what’s going on now after his first,” Terranova said. “He was a little bit bad in the paddock to sad-
dle, so we just didn’t know quite how he’d saddle up and handle the new surroundings coming up here. Seemed really inexperienced, but a very fast, talented colt. We’re thrilled every-thing went well after all that.”
– Annise Montplaisir
Saratoga LeadersJOCKEYS ...................... 1STJohn Velazquez ....................... 15Jose Ortiz .................................. 9Irad Ortiz, Jr. ............................. 8Javier Castellano ....................... 7Luis Saez ................................... 7Junior Alvarado ......................... 6Jose Lezcano ............................ 6
TRAINERS ..................... 1STTodd Pletcher .......................... 13Bill Mott .................................... 7Chad Brown ............................. 4Christophe Clement ................... 4Shug McGaughey ...................... 3
Through Saturday
Saturday – Continued from page 27
Tod MarksAngel Cruz (6) pulls away in the jockey footrace to raise funds for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.
Tod MarksWaco pulls away from the field late in Saturday’s third race.
Tod MarksAlmasty gets a shower after winning Saturday’s sixth race.
30 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
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SARATOGA RESULTSSaturday August 1.
FIRST $59,000, CLAIMING $35,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 1 1/2M3 Sharp Omar I. Ortiz, Jr. $16.60 $6.80 $4.108 Dreams Cut Short J. Rosario $5.70 $3.706 Cozy Kitten J. Castellano $2.90B Horse 2010, by Sharp Humor - Best Feature by El Gran SenorOwner: Bran Jam Stable. Trainer: John Toscano, Jr.. Breeder: Lonnie R. Owens & William L.S. Landes (KY).Late Scratches: Tizmas. Time: 2:30.51. Claimed: Coturnix claimed by Sisters in Racing LLC for $35,000Exacta (3-8), $112.50; Superfecta (3-8-6-7), $1,114.00; Trifecta (3-8-6), $314.50
SECOND $83,000, MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 2 YO, 6F5 Sticksstatelydude J. Rosario $4.10 $2.60 $2.3010 Ready Dancer J. Velazquez $4.40 $3.306 Conquest Nitro S. Bridgmohan $4.10B Colt 2013, by First Dude - Placerita by Gilded TimeOwner: Haynes, Alvin S., Ferris, John and Burchell, Elizabeth. Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin. Breeder: Canyon Lake Thoroughbreds (VA). Time: 1:11.39Daily Double (3-5), $44.60; Exacta (5-10), $18.20; Quinella (5-10), $10.40; Superfecta (5-10-6-8), $544.00; Trifecta (5-10-6), $75.00
THIRD $85,000, ALLOWANCE, 3 YO’S & UP, 6F1 Waco E. Cancel $26.40 $11.40 $7.902 Loose On the Town J. Lezcano $6.60 $4.805 Delta Outlaw I. Ortiz, Jr. $6.10Dk B/ Br Gelding 2011, by Medaglia d’Oro - Sangrita by Mr. GreeleyOwner: Clifton, Jr., William, L.. Trainer: H. Bond. Breeder: Dorothy A. Matz (KY). Time: 1:09.98Daily Double (5-1), $88.00; Exacta (1-2), $237.00; Superfecta (1-2-5-4), $15,087.00; Trifecta (1-2-5), $1,521.00; Pic 3 (3-5-1), $981.00
FOURTH $83,000, MAIDEN SPECIAL WEIGHT, 3 & UP, 1 1/16M6 Coming Attraction J. Velazquez $13.60 $6.80 $4.503 Future Show A. Cintron $9.40 $6.301 Nothingbutthetruth L. Saez $4.70Gr/ro Filly 2012, by Tapit - On Parade by Storm CatOwner: Phipps Stable. Trainer: Claude McGaughey III. Breeder: Phipps Stable (KY). Time: 1:41.40Daily Double (1-6), $269.00; Exacta (6-3), $133.50; Quinella (3-6), $72.50; Superfecta (6-3-1-9), $5,919.00; Trifecta (6-3-1), $749.00; Pic 3 (5-1-6), $920.00
FIFTH $200,000, STAKES - AMSTERDAM S., 3 YO, 6 1/2F7 Holy Boss R. Santana, Jr. $6.90 $3.90 $2.701 Requite J. Castellano $5.20 $3.405 Barbados L. Saez $2.70Ch Colt 2012, by Street Boss - Holy Grace by Holy BullOwner: Durant, Jerry. Trainer: Steven Asmussen. Time: 1:15.38Breeder: Adena Springs (KY).Late Scratches: The Great WarDaily Double (6-7), $62.50; Exacta (7-1), $35.80; Superfecta (7-1-5-4), $432.00; Trifecta (7-1-5), $130.50; Pic 3 (1-6-7), $1,313.00; Pic 4 (5-1-6-7), $3,677.00; Pic 5 (3-5-1-6-7), $40,243.00
SIXTH $85,000, ALLOWANCE, 3 YO, 1M8 Almasty L. Saez $25.60 $10.80 $6.9010 Wayward Kitten R. Hernandez $14.00 $8.503 Furyofthenorsemen A. Arroyo $11.80Ch Ridgling 2012, by Scat Daddy - Minicolony by Pleasant ColonyOwner: Wentworth, John. Trainer: Brad Cox. Time: 1:34.91Breeder: Paget Bloodstock & Horse France (KY).Late Scratches: Moonlight Bandit, Rock Eagle, Tiz Town. Daily Dou-ble (7-8), $169.50; Exacta (8-10), $319.00; Superfecta (8-10-3-7), $28,428.00; Trifecta (8-10-3), $5,160.00; Pic 3 (6-7-8), $1,548.00
SEVENTH $85,000, ALLOWANCE, 3 YO’S & UP, 1 3/16M5 Go Around J. Lezcano $10.40 $5.30 $3.809 Request I. Ortiz, Jr. $5.50 $4.0010 Team Colors J. Castellano $4.90Dk B/ Br Colt 2012, by Medaglia d’Oro - Mediation (IRE) by CaerleonOwner: Vegso, Peter. Trainer: William Mott. Breeder: Vegso Racing Stable (FL).Late Scratches: Great Dancer (IRE), Grey Wizard, Village Warrior, Wiz-ardlyTime: 1:53.37Daily Double (8-5), $162.50; Exacta (5-9), $47.40; Superfecta (5-9-10-12), $1,892.00; Trifecta (5-9-10), $330.50; Pic 3 (7-8-5), $1,064.00
EIGHTH $350,000, STAKES - ALFRED G. VANDERBILT H., 3&UP, 6F3 Rock Fall J. Castellano $4.00 $3.00 $2.406 The Big Beast J. Velazquez $4.10 $2.807 Favorite Tale I. Ortiz, Jr. $3.20Dk B/ Br Colt 2011, by Speightstown - Renda by Medaglia d’OroOwner: Stonestreet Stables LLC. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Breeder: SF Bloodstock LLC (KY).Time: 1:08.75Daily Double (5-3), $24.60; Exacta (3-6), $16.20; Superfecta (3-6-7-2), $124.40; Trifecta (3-6-7), $66.00; Pic 3 (8-5-3), $425.00
NINTH $250,000, STAKES - BOWLING GREEN H., 4 & UP, 1 3/8M1 Red Rifle J. Castellano $15.40 $6.60 $4.002 War Dancer J. Lezcano $4.10 $2.803 Imagining J. Velazquez $2.90Ch Gelding 2010, by Giant’s Causeway - May Night by GulchOwner: Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Breeder: Twin Creeks Farm, Tom Clark &Nancy Clark (KY).Time: 2:13.69Daily Double (3-1), $39.80; Exacta (1-2), $52.50; Superfecta (1-2-3-4), $644.00; Trifecta (1-2-3), $115.00; Pic 3 (5-3-1), $189.00
TENTH $600,000, STAKES - JIM DANDY S., 3 YO, 1 1/8M3 Texas Red K. Desormeaux $5.70 $2.40 7 Frosted J. Rosario $2.20 2 Japan J. Alvarado B Colt 2012, by Afleet Alex - Ramatuelle (CHI) by Jeune HommeOwner: Brehm, Erich, Detmar, Wayne, Michaels, Lee, Desormeaux, J. Keith et al.. Trainer: J. Desormeaux. Breeder: Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY).Late Scratches: Tekton, Competitive Edge, UpstartTime: 1:48.77Daily Double (1-3), $52.50; Exacta (3-7), $8.80; Pic 3 (3-1-3), $121.50; Place Pix Nine (5,9,10,13,14,15,16/3,6,7/1,2,3), $18.40
ELEVENTH $75,000, NY-BRED ALLOWANCE, 3 YO’S & UP, 5 1/2F9 Draft Day A. Cruz $8.10 $4.80 $3.601 Dark Roast E. Cancel $4.40 $3.606 Pegasus Red J. Ortiz $5.40B Colt 2012, by Kitten’s Joy - Collar by Candy Ride (ARG)Owner: Sovereign Stable. Trainer: John Terranova, II. Breeder: N.Y. Kitten Foals, LLC (NY).Late Scratches: H Man, Fit to Keep, Watergate, GiantinthemoonliteTime: 1:02.15Daily Double (3-9), $30.00; Exacta (9-1), $32.20; Superfecta (9-1-6-4), $1,055.00; Trifecta (9-1-6), $259.00; Pic 3 (1-3-9), $237.50; Pic 4 (3-1-3-9), $594.00; Pic 6 (8-5-3-1-3-9), $346.00; Pic 6 (8-5-3-1-3-9), $53,870.00
On Track Handle: 6,225,879Inter-State Handle: 20,418,757
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31Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
SARATOGA RESULTS PHOTOS BY TOD MARKS
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Attorney and Counselor at LawAndrew J. Mollica,Esq.
Dedicated to protecting the rights of Horsemen.
General and Equine Practice of Law20 Middleton Road, Garden City, NY 11530516 528-1311 cell • 516 352-6853 office [email protected] Licensed New York and New Jersey
General and Equine Practice of Law
20 Middleton Road, Garden City, NY 11530516 528-1311 cell · 516 352-6853 [email protected] New York and New JerseyAll Aspects of Immigration
32 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
Sunday, August 2.
1ST (1:00PM). $73,000, MSW, 2 YO, 5 1/2F (TURF)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Pic 5, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Heated Verdict ................ L. Saez ............................. G. Weaver..................... 4-12 ..... 2 ............Fakeittilumakeit .............. E. Cancel .......................... B. Brown .................... 20-13 ..... 3 ............There Goes Ben .............. I. Rodriguez ..................... R. Rodriguez .............. 20-14 ..... 4 ............Sax Change .................... R. Hernandez ................... G. Contessa ................ 12-15 ..... 5 ............My Man Al ...................... J. Leparoux ...................... L. O’Brien ..................... 5-16 ..... 6 ............Too Discreet ................... J. Rosario ........................ C. Clement.................... 3-17 ..... 7 ............Croke Park ..................... J. Castellano .................... M. Maker ...................... 6-18 ..... 8 ............Brooklyn Speights .......... A. Cruz ............................. W. Ward ....................... 8-19 ..... 9 ............Call the Lord ................... J. Velazquez ..................... D. Donk ...................... 10-110..... 10 ..........Leaveematthegate .......... I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ L. Gyarmati .................. 6-111..... AE..........Guaranteed ..................... A. Arroyo ......................... R. Cash ...................... 20-112..... MTO ......Willie’s Mojo .................. J. Velazquez ..................... T. Pletcher .................... 2-1
2ND (1:33PM). $83,000, MSW, 2 YO, F , 6FExacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Pic 4, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Big World ....................... A. Cintron ........................ A. Dutrow ..................... 5-12 ..... 2 ............Nickname ....................... J. Leparoux ...................... S. Asmussen ................ 6-13 ..... 3 ............Rachel’s Valentina .......... J. Velazquez ..................... T. Pletcher .................... 6-54 ..... 4 ............Wicked Fun .................... I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ L. Gyarmati ................ 15-15 ..... 5 ............Renown .......................... K. Carmouche .................. G. Arnold, II................ 15-16 ..... 6 ............Awesome Dame ............. J. Rosario ........................ T. Albertrani .................. 8-17 ..... 7 ............Transact ......................... J. Ortiz ............................. M. Nevin ..................... 10-18 ..... 8 ............Tale for Ruby .................. C. Velasquez .................... B. Tagg ......................... 6-1
3RD (2:06PM). $100,000, STK - THE CARESS, 4 YO’S & UP, F & M , 5 1/2F (TURF)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Jewel of a Cat ................. J. Velazquez ..................... B. Perkins, Jr. ............... 2-12 ..... 2 ............Old Harbor ..................... A. Arroyo ......................... R. Cash ...................... 10-13 ..... 3 ............Free as a Bird ................. J. Rosario ........................ I. Wilkes ....................... 7-54 ..... 4 ............Runway Ready ............... J. Leparoux ...................... G. Contessa .................. 8-15 ..... 5 ............Thieves Guild ................. J. Lezcano ....................... J. Toner ........................ 7-2
4TH (2:39PM). $85,000, ALW, 3 YO’S & UP, F & M , 1 1/16M (INNER TURF)Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Lucknow ........................ J. Ortiz ............................. T. Albertrani .................. 4-12 ..... MTO ......Equilateral ...................... J. Ortiz ............................. R. Ribaudo ................... 8-53 ..... MTO ......Romantic Vision ............. J. Leparoux ...................... G. Arnold, II................ 12-14 ..... 4 ............Achnaha (IRE) ................ J. Velazquez ..................... G. Weaver..................... 8-15 ..... 5 ............Sumba Sunset ................ L. Saez ............................. M. Matz ........................ 7-26 ..... 6 ............Hope Cross (IRE) ........... J. Castellano .................... C. Brown ...................... 5-27 ..... 7 ............Tide Is High .................... A. Cintron ........................ J. Sheppard .................. 8-18 ..... 8 ............Morning Star .................. I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ P. Serpe ........................ 5-19 ..... 9 ............Mobilize ......................... J. Rosario ........................ C. McGaughey III ....... 10-1
5TH (3:13PM). $51,000, CLM $50,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 7FExacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Mack Miller .................... J. Castellano .................... G. Contessa .................. 6-12 ..... 2 ............Made Bail ....................... K. Carmouche .................. S. Cooney ................... 20-13 ..... 3 ............Towering Moon .............. I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ R. Rodriguez .............. 10-14 ..... 4 ............Flag On the Play ............. J. Lezcano ....................... J. Servis ....................... 2-15 ..... 5 ............Be a Hero ....................... J. Velazquez ..................... W. Catalano .................. 8-56 ..... 6 ............Summit Moon ................ E. Feurtado ...................... J. Kimmel ................... 12-17 ..... 7 ............Borseggiatore ................. E. Cancel .......................... N. Zito .......................... 8-1
6TH (3:47PM). $83,000, MSW, 2 YO, 5 1/2F (TURF)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Pic 6, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Spicy Blonde .................. R. Hernandez ................... W. Ward ....................... 8-12 ..... 2 ............Denim Blue .................... F. Jara .............................. K. Dickey .................... 20-13 ..... 3 ............Its All Relevant ............... K. Carmouche .................. D. Schettino ................. 6-14 ..... 4 ............Don’t Be So Salty ........... T. Rice ............................. A. Rice .......................... 8-15 ..... 5 ............Argot .............................. J. Leparoux ...................... K. McPeek .................... 6-16 ..... 6 ............Brass Compass .............. L. Saez ............................. E. Plesa, Jr. ................ 10-17 ..... 7 ............War Order ...................... A. Cintron ........................ H. Motion ..................... 4-18 ..... 8 ............Rappel ............................ E. Cancel .......................... R. Ribaudo ................. 15-19 ..... 9 ............Ian Smith ....................... J. Velazquez ..................... T. Pletcher .................... 7-210..... 10 ..........Urban Bourbon .............. J. Ortiz ............................. E. Kenneally .................. 5-111..... MTO ......Louise the Laser ............. J. Rosario ........................ W. Ward ....................... 3-1
7TH (4:22PM). $73,000, MSW, 3 YO’S & UP, 1M (INNER TURF)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Bugle Blues .................... A. Cruz ............................. R. Lerman .................. 10-12 ..... 2 ............Space Oddity .................. J. Castellano .................... C. Martin ...................... 3-13 ..... 3 ............Heavenly Sun ................. F. Jara .............................. K. Feron ...................... 20-14 ..... 4 ............Elusive Talmo ................. C. Velasquez .................... R. Schosberg ............. 15-15 ..... 5 ............River of Magic ................ I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ G. Weaver..................... 5-16 ..... 6 ............Conor ............................. E. Cancel .......................... L. Gyarmati ................ 30-17 ..... 7 ............Whippo .......................... J. Lezcano ....................... T. Bush ....................... 15-18 ..... 8 ............Uncle Chester ................. J. Velazquez ..................... L. Gyarmati ................ 12-19 ..... 9 ............Apollo Eleven ................. J. Rosario ........................ R. Rodriguez ................ 5-110..... 10 ..........Talladega ........................ J. Alvarado ...................... J. Englehart .................. 6-111..... 11 ..........Big Al Parker .................. E. Trujillo ......................... T. Albertrani ................ 20-112..... 12 ..........Adirondack Posse .......... L. Saez ............................. G. Contessa .................. 6-113..... AE..........Grand Sky ...................... S. Bridgmohan ................ M. Casse ...................... 5-214..... AE..........Port Au Prince ................ C. Sullivan ....................... R. Lugovich ................ 12-115..... MTO ......Mascarello ..................... E. Cancel .......................... H. Bond ........................ 8-116..... MTO ......My Tommy Boy .............. C. Velasquez .................... S. Klesaris .................... 4-1
8TH (4:57PM). $75,000, ALW, 3 YO’S & UP, 6 1/2FExacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Pic 4, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Pierce’s Prize .................. C. DeCarlo ....................... J. Ryerson .................... 8-12 ..... 2 ............Horsens ......................... L. Rivera, Jr. .................... J. Milne ...................... 20-13 ..... 3 ............Social Rebellion ............. A. Arroyo ......................... R. Cash ...................... 30-14 ..... 4 ............Watergate ....................... J. Alvarado ...................... R. Schosberg ............. 20-15 ..... 5 ............H Man ............................ K. Carmouche .................. D. Cannizzo ................ 10-16 ..... 6 ............So Noted ........................ J. Rosario ........................ C. Baker ........................ 6-17 ..... 7 ............Broadway Bay ................ F. Jara .............................. B. Brown .................... 15-18 ..... 8 ............Hunt’s Road ................... J. Velazquez ..................... T. Pletcher .................... 2-19 ..... 9 ............Fit to Keep ...................... A. Cruz ............................. E. Barker .................... 20-110..... 10 ..........Giantinthemoonlite ......... S. Bridgmohan ................ B. Brown ...................... 6-111..... 11 ..........Little Popsie ................... J. Castellano .................... T. Pletcher .................... 5-112..... 12 ..........Candid Desire ................. E. Trujillo ......................... G. Sciacca .................. 15-1
9TH (5:32PM). $56,000, CLM $32,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 6 1/2FExacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pic 3, Daily Double1 ..... 3 ............Attractive Ride ................ I. Rodriguez ..................... N. Terracciano ............ 12-11a .... 5 ............One More Night .............. I. Rodriguez ..................... N. Terracciano ............ 12-12 ..... 1 ............Bad Hombre ................... K. Carmouche .................. M. Maker ...................... 5-13 ..... 2 ............Wagson .......................... J. Leparoux ...................... J. Englehart ................ 15-14 ..... 4 ............Tango On ........................ R. Hernandez ................... B. Perkins, Jr. ............... 6-15 ..... 6 ............Frazil .............................. A. Arroyo ......................... S. Klesaris .................. 10-16 ..... 7 ............Metaurus ........................ S. Bridgmohan ................ G. Sciacca .................. 50-17 ..... 8 ............Saturday’s Charm ........... I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ D. Jacobson ................. 4-18 ..... 9 ............Marriage Fever ............... C. Velasquez .................... D. Jacobson ................. 5-19 ..... 10 ..........Hillbilly Style .................. R. Santana, Jr. ................. D. Lukas ..................... 30-110..... 11 ..........Gentrify .......................... F. Jara .............................. L. Lewis ...................... 20-111..... 12 ..........Congenial ....................... J. Lezcano ....................... R. Rodriguez ................ 5-2
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33Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
10TH (6:07PM). $200,000, STK - THE SHUVEE, 3 YO’S & UP, F & M , 1 1/8MExacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Daily Double1 ..... 1 ............Imposing Grace .............. R. Hernandez ................... L. Becdelamotte ......... 30-12 ..... 2 ............Privet Hedge .................. J. Lezcano ....................... W. Mott ........................ 6-13 ..... 3 ............House Rules ................... J. Alvarado ...................... J. Jerkens ..................... 5-14 ..... 4 ............Untapable ....................... J. Velazquez ..................... S. Asmussen ................ 7-55 ..... 5 ............Stopchargingmaria ......... J. Castellano .................... T. Pletcher .................... 2-16 ..... 6 ............Tiz Windy ....................... J. Leparoux ...................... C. Nafzger .................... 8-1
11TH (6:40PM). $50,000, CLM $25,000, 3 YO’S & UP, 1 1/16M (INNER TURF)Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta1 ..... 1 ............Heiko .............................. I. Rodriguez ..................... A. Adsit ...................... 12-12 ..... 2 ............Holy Invader ................... F. Jara .............................. P. Quick ........................ 5-13 ..... 3 ............Neoclassic ...................... J. Ortiz ............................. M. Vitali ...................... 12-14 ..... 4 ............Permanent Campaign ..... E. Trujillo ......................... R. Violette, Jr. ............. 12-15 ..... 5 ............Trecastle ......................... E. Cancel .......................... T. Albertrani ................ 15-16 ..... 6 ............Exclusive Strike .............. J. Lezcano ....................... J. Servis ....................... 8-17 ..... 7 ............Sinatra ........................... J. Velazquez ..................... W. Mott ........................ 3-18 ..... 8 ............Global Asset ................... L. Saez ............................. B. Levine .................... 15-19 ..... 9 ............Two Seventeen ............... K. Carmouche .................. B. Levine .................... 20-110..... 10 ..........Heat Flash ...................... I. Ortiz, Jr. ........................ J. Sharp ........................ 4-111..... 11 ..........Days Ride ....................... J. Rosario ........................ A. Adsit ...................... 20-112..... 12 ..........Scrumpdilicious ............. S. Bridgmohan ................ B. Cox .......................... 8-113..... AE..........Lucky Kitten ................... J. Castellano .................... M. Maker ...................... 6-114..... MTO ......Locker Room Guy .......... . ...................................... C. Englehart .................. 7-215..... MTO ......Frost Jordan ................... E. Cancel .......................... N. Esler ........................ 4-116..... MTO ......Grandpa Len .................. . ...................................... B. Brown ...................... 5-1
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SARATOGA ENTRIES
Todd S. EngelEquine Lawyer
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DON’T GET LEFT BEHIND WHEN IT COMES TO LEGAL ADVICE
Join us for an evening of fine dining, specialty cocktails and
an auction of stallion seasons and unique experiences featuring
Food Network star Anne Burrell.
In support of the
Sunday, August 9, 2015 • 6:30 p.m. Canfield Casino • Saratoga Springs
anne burrellThe Foods of
Vodka Infusion Bar by Tito’s Handmade Vodka & the stylings of the New York Players
Sponsorships available • Tickets $375 each To purchase tickets visit
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In support of the
The book that started it all.
Forty years in print and still the best primer
on thoroughbred handicapping there is
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Available wherever books and ebooks are sold
34 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
grid
the Power
Race #
1
2
3
4
5
6
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8
91011
Willie’s MojoToo DiscreetCroke Park
Rachel’s ValentinaNicknameBig World
Free As A BirdJewel Of A CatThieves Guild
EquilateralHope Cross
Sumba SunsetBe A Hero
Flag On the PlaySummit Moon
Ian SmithWar Order
Spicy Blonde Space Oddity
Grand SkyApollo ElevenHunt’s RoadLittle Popsie
So NotedCongenialTango On
Saturday CharmUntapable
StopchargingmariaPrivet Hedge
Locker Room GuySinatra
Heat Flash
Brooklyn SpeightsToo Discreet
Heated VerdictRachel’s Valentina
NicknameBig World
Free As A BirdJewel Of A CatRunway Ready
Hope CrossSumba Sunset
MobilizeBe A Hero
Mack MillerFlag On The PlayBrass CompassIts All Relevant
Ian SmithSpace Oddity
River Of MagicWhippo
Hunt’s RoadSo Noted
Broadway BayCongenial
Attractive RideMarriage Fever
Tiz WindyStopchargingmaria
House RulesSinatra
TrecastleLucky Kitten
Willie’s Mojo Too Discreet
Heated Verdict Rachel’s Valentina
Tale For Ruby Awesome Dame Free As A Bird Jewel Of A Cat Thieves Guild Sumba Sunset Morning Star Hope Cross
Flag On The Play Be A Hero
Borseggiatore Ian Smith War Order
Its All Relevant Space Oddity
Whippo Apollo Eleven
So Noted Hunt’s Road Little Popsie
Marriage Fever One More Night
Congenial Untapable
Privet Hedge Stopchargingmaria
Sinatra Heat Flash
Locker Room Guy
My Man Al Croke Park
Heated Verdict Rachel’s Valentina
Big World Nickname
Jewel Of A Cat Thieves Guild Free As A Bird
Lucknow Achnaha
Sumba Sunset Flag On The Play
Borseggiatore Towering Moon
Argot Ian Smith
Rappel Space Oddity Apollo Eleven Heavenly Sun Hunt’s Road Pierce’s Prize
Watergate Marriage Fever
Congenial Terraciano entry
Privet Hedge House Rules
Untapable Sinatra
Heat Flash Trecastle
Croke ParkToo Discreet
Heated VerdictBig World
Rachel’s ValentinaTransact
Thieves GuildFree As A BirdRunway Ready
AchnahaMorning StarTide Is High
Flag On The PlayBe A Hero
Towering MoonBrass Compass
War OrderArgot
Elusive TalmoApollo Eleven
Adirondack PosseLittle PopsiePierce’s Prize
So NotedGentrify
Terracciano entrySaturday’s Charm
House RulesStopchargingmaria
UntapableSinatra
NeoclassicExclusive Strike
2015 Records 21/81 13/81 21/81 16/81 25/81
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Racing in NY, LA and FLParting Glass RacingBe an OWNER at The Spa.Mornings on the backstretch, afternoons at the races, evenings celebrating.Join the fun and excitement of horse racing at the best track in the world.
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35Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
BY TOM LAWCarl Nafzger doesn’t argue with the description
by some that he’s semi-retired. He comes to Sarato-ga every year around the time of the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, kicks around with his friend and former longtime assistant Ian Wilkes and catch-es up with other old friends and colleagues.
Yes, Nafzger and his wife Wanda take in the sights in and around Saratoga, but when the Hall of Fame trainer hit town last week it was for a reason and not just the season.
Tiz Windy is the reason and she takes on heavy-weights Untapable and Stopchargingmaria in to-day’s $300,000 Shuvee Handicap at Saratoga Race Course.
“Now you know why I’m here,” Nafzger said before doing what put him in the Hall of Fame and getting in the stall with the Tiznow filly.
Nafzger said he hoped to show up a little earlier Saturday morning to tend to one of the two horses he still officially trains. He still made it with plenty of time to slip into the stall with Tiz Windy and work out some kinks in the filly’s back. This is Nafzger, 73, at his best and the combination of his touch and finding just the right pressure points did the trick as Tiz Windy dropped her head, relaxed and was the picture of comfort after the five-minute chiropractic and acupressure session was complete.
“I’m doing what I enjoy, chiropractics, just get in there, boom, boom, boom, just do it,” Nafzger said later, as he followed the filly to the track from Wilkes’ barn on the road inside Clare Court. “Horses, they’re like me and you, some-times they get things that bother them. I like to figure it out.
“I’m not good at deep chiropractic, I’m good at superficial. When I get something deep I have to go get somebody way beyond me. That’s what I do mainly now. Accupuncture, diagnostics and chiropractic. Nowadays when Ian wins I don’t say anything. When he gets beat I tell him everything he did wrong.”
Nafzger easily mixes humor with a more serious side, always has. You don’t get into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame and the Racing Hall of Fame, win the Kentucky Derby twice, the Travers twice, Kentucky Oaks, Breeders’ Cup Clas-sic and scores of other major stakes without talent and drive.
He’s serious about Tiz Windy. She races for Ida May Tafel, the widow of Nafzger’s longtime patron Jim
Tafel who died last summer. The Tafel-Nafzger stamp is everywhere on the filly’s pedigree. She’s the second foal out of the A.P. Indy mare Windyindy, whom Tafel bred and raced and Nafzger trained to three wins in 15 starts and $119,624 in earnings. Windyindy is out of the stakes-winning Unbridled mare
See SHUVEE page 36
Tod MarksTiz Windy and Robin Camillo take on a tough group in Sunday’s Shuvee for Hall of Fame trainer Carl Nafzger.
T iz time for NafzgerHall of Famer comes to Spa with chance in G3
SHUVEE STAKES PREVIEW
36 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
Saratoga’s Best BetsThings to do, places to go, businesses to call...
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Unbridled Wind, who is out of Banshee Winds and a full-sister to the Nafzger-trained and Tafel-owned champion, Kentucky Oaks and Alabama winner Banshee Breeze.
“She’s a good little filly,” Nafzger said. “It’s all his breeding, his deal. Mrs. Tafel’s enjoyed it. She runs hard. She gets beat a length, length-and-a-half, making mistakes. If she throws us a race she’ll be tough. One thing about her, she’ll give us a race. She’ll try hard.”
The 8-1 fifth choice in the field of six led by champion and 7-5 favorite Untapable and multiple Grade 1 winner and 2-1 second choice Stopcharg-ingmaria, is winless in four starts this season. Julien Leparoux rode her in all four and rides today. Her first start of the year was a disaster, a fifth by 12 ¾ lengths in the Grade 2 Royal Delta at Gulfstream but her three races since are much improved. She finished fifth, fourth and third in those races, all graded stakes, and lost by a combined 4 lengths.
Losses are losses though and Tiz Windy hasn’t visited the winner’s circle since the Grade 2 Indiana Oaks last October.
“She should have won the second race (the Grade 2 Doubledogdare), at Keeneland,” Nafzger said. “She dropped the bit at the five-sixteenths pole for no reason. Julien said he couldn’t under-stand why. Then she grabbed it again and came
flying. If she ran hard all the way she would have been fit enough to win the race and she came up a little flat at the sixteenth pole in the Grade 1 (La Troienne May 1 at Churchill Downs).”
“I’ll tell you this, she’s one of those kind that you just don’t know what to do with if you’re running against her. You know she’s going to run, so you’ve got to run to see if you can beat her.”
That and you know when you see the Nafzger on
the trainer line, even though he’s 0-for-12 on the year, he’s way more than capable. Maybe even crafty?
“Everybody gets crafty with a good horse,” Nafzger said walking back with Tiz Windy af-ter a strong gallop Saturday, laughing hard at his one-liner.
“Baffert had the best line on that. Do you re-member that? A few years ago some reporters were
Shuvee – Continued from page 35
See SHUVEE page 37
Tod MarksStopchargingmaria (left photo) and Untapable play big roles in the Shuvee.
37Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
asking him, after he had a couple dead years and hadn’t been in the Derby. The next year he had some good horses and they asked him, ‘you’ve got some good horses you haven’t had the last few years, what are you doing different?’ He said, ‘I changed my feeding program.’ They all said, ‘how’s that?’ He said, ‘I start-ed feeding better horses.’ Baffert ain’t no dummy.”
Nafzger isn’t either and in addition to his immeasurable skills with horses he’s the author of the book, “Traits of a Winner: The Formula for Devel-oping Thoroughbred Racehorses.” He just finished another book, which doesn’t have a title yet but is in the hands of his publisher.
“It’s hard to explain but it’s about the things I learned from horses, life, what I’ve done,” Nafzger said. “It’s basically, sort of like, I think the key to everybody’s life is responsibility of self. Not self-responsible, responsibil-ity of self. It deals with that, my be-liefs. You’ll get a copy. I’ll be sending them out. Like my last book, I sold 2,000 copies the first day but they all went to my basement.
“I’m not a writer. I sit down, put down and do stuff . . .Very few people have enough talent to have the abil-ity to do two or three things really well. Everybody can do two or three things, but to do anything real good, you’ve got to go a lot further.
Like getting into two Halls of Fame?
“Yes, but that’s not hard to do. All you’ve got to do is take B.R., which stands for bull rider, take the R away and put an S there and you’ve got horse trainer. B.S. It’s simple. Every-body asks me how I do it. I say, ‘just remove the R and put an S.’ I’ve been very blessed. A good life.”
Untapable and Stopchargingmaria, the two main contenders for the 1 1/8-mile Shuvee, blessed their con-nections in 2014 with a combined six Grade 1 victories.
Untapable won four, including the season-ending Breeders’ Cup Distaff, and secured the Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old filly for her own-er and breeder, Ron Winchell, and trainer Steve Asmussen. The daugh-ter of Tapit is only 1-for-3 in 2015,
however, with seconds in the Grade 2 Azeri and Grade 1 Ogden Phipps bookending a win in the Grade 1 Ap-ple Blossom.
Asmussen shipped Untapable to Saratoga shortly after the Phipps with the intention of getting her back around two turns in preparation for a defense of her Distaff crown.
“With the Shuvee we’re trying to give her a little break off the Phipps, trying to use it as a prep for the Per-sonal Ensign here later in the meet,” Asmussen said. “But the ultimate goal for her this year has been the Breed-ers’ Cup Distaff and nothing has changed there.
“When you get in the older mare division, obviously the numbers come down usually from the 3-year-old rac-es, but it’s because they all belong. It’s a very competitive race, obviously not to be taken lightly.”
Town and Country Farms’ Stop-chargingmaria makes her first start since winning the Grade 3 Allaire du Pont Distaff at Pimlico on Preakness Weekend for trainer Todd Pletch-er. The daughter of Tale Of The Cat won the Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama here last year and prepped with a bullet half-mile work
in :47 here July 26. Javier Castellano gets back on board from post five.
Privet Hedge is a bit of an un-known in the Grade 3 Shuvee for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and owner/breeder Juddmonte Farms.
The 4-year-old daughter of 2008 Forego Stakes winner First Defence makes her U.S. debut after making her first eight starts in France for trainer David Smaga. She won three times, a maiden at Maisons-Laffitte and two races equivalent to upper-level allow-ance races at Chantilly and Deauville.
Mott planned to get her started in a softer spot but earlier in the week when it looked like the field might come up light he reconsidered.
“They weren’t supposed to run Untapable, they had four, they had four, they had four,” Mott said. “The allowance race didn’t go for her, so I said, ‘Well, let’s take a shot.’ ”
House Rules, third in the Phipps behind Wedding Toast and Untapable and winner of two graded stakes this season for Jimmy Jerkens, and Flori-da shipper Imposing Grace complete the field.
Additional reporting by Annise Montplaisir and Sean Clancy
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Shuvee – Continued from page 36
38 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
BY TOM LAWTracey Wilkes waited in the
shedrow just outside the stall next to the office, waiting to ride out the next set for her husband Ian Wilkes as a chestnut mare poked her head out and gave her a couple gentle nudges to her head and shoulders.
The mare was Free As A Bird, the defending race winner and one of five entered in today’s $100,000 Caress Stakes, and the moment was pretty atypical.
A few minutes earlier Ian Wil-kes was talking about the 6-year-old daughter of Hard Spun and assessing her chances against four opponents in the 5 ½-furlong turf stakes when the
subject of the mare’s toughness arose. A year ago, after she won the Ca-ress and the Smart N Fancy for races three and four in a six-race winning streak, Ian Wilkes said he doesn’t like his wife to gallop the mare on the main track because she’s so tough. So what’s changed in 2015?
“She’s not easy,” said Ian Wilkes, who will try to get Free As A Bird off a two-race skid in the Caress. “She’s got little things that she does. Does things her own way. You try to adjust to her. Most colts you tell them, fillies
Tod MarksFree As a Bird keeps a sharp eye on life outside her stall.
CARESS STAKES PREVIEW
Still ToughTurf mare Free As A Bird puts Saratoga mark on the line
See CARESS page 40
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39Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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you ask them. This one you have to double ask.”
Tracey Wilkes, who frequently jogs Free As A Bird when they’re on the main track, agreed.
“That’s a tough one that one,” she said. “Tough bird.”
As tough as Free As A Bird is in the morning she’s tougher in the af-ternoon.
She’s won nine of 24 with five seconds and five thirds, a very good record for turf sprinters who are so often victims of trips, course condi-tion, field sizes and other factors and circumstances.
Free As A Bird overcame two rough trips in both Saratoga wins last year, a three-quarter length score over Jewel Of A Cat in the Caress and a neck score over Ageless in the Smart N Fancy a little more than three weeks later. Joel Rosario was aboard in those races, in every one of the six during the win streak, and gets the call today.
“She should have got beat here last year with the trip she had. How she won I’ve got no idea. Amazing,” Ian Wilkes said. “She’s run good here. She’s been a model of consistency her
whole life. You look at her career and how many starts and how many times she’s been one-two-three. It’s unbe-lievable really.”
The Elizabeth Valando homebred
started 2015 with a win, at Gulfst-ream Park in March, but she finished fourth in Keeneland’s Giant’s Cause-way in April and was a hard-charging second in the Unbridled Sidney at Churchill Downs in May. Lifetime, she’s won nine of 24 with just five placings outside the trifecta.
Jewel Of A Cat is back for anoth-er try in the Caress after finishing a distant second in the Klassy Brief-case July 12 at Monmouth Park. The 5-year-old Wildcat Heir mare started the season with a victory in the Ladies Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park. She’s the 2-1 second choice behind 7-5 fa-vorite Free As A Bird.
Thieves Guild, winner of a 6-fur-long allowance on the grass at Bel-mont Park last time off a more than year layoff for Jimmy Toner, is the 7-2 third choice for owner Ninety North Racing Stable.
The 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro is 2-for-4 lifetime and Jose Lezcano gets the call from the outside post.
Old Harbor, also a winner on the grass last time at Belmont, and Gi-ant’s Causeway Stakes third Runway Ready complete the field.
Caress – Continued from page 38
Tod MarksSecond to the favorite last year, Jewel Of A Cat tries the Caress again.
41Sunday, August 2, 2015 The Saratoga Special
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42 Sunday, August 2, 2015The Saratoga Special
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Where are you?On the way. Five minutes. I’m off, golf cart whines, dust billows, past
Shug’s. Robert Cutler yells from beneath Christo-phe Clement’s shedrow. He needs a paper, double back, hand off a paper. Good to see he’s wearing a Special hat. There goes a minute. While I’m here, I better drop off two for Bas at Lukas’ barn, rip past Robbie Davis, slam the brakes, take a photo of Davis’ jockey sign, and throw a paper on his desk. Then Lukas, two on the saddle stand. An exercise rider says thanks. I thank her.
“Where are you?”On the way. Five minutes.Past Zito’s barn, better stop and put two on
his table. Back out to the street past Jimmy Jerk-ens’ barn, two for Jimmy, he drops one in the manure pit, I hop on the edge and pull it out, as good as new. Slow down, stop, here comes a set of Shug’s, walking, clopping along the road. Two for Jena, one at Peter Pugh’s barn, slow down and hand one to John Hertler, the friendliest guy on the grounds, we chat about why the jockeys are whipping the horses so much, “What do you want me to do? I’m in front,” Hertler imitates a 2-year-old at the Spa.
Where are you?On the way. Five minutes.Around the old Horse Haven track or cut
through stable area? Better cut through. Ah, clock-er’s stand needs four, go right instead of left, see a rainbow descending on Bruce Levine’s head. Really. Stop, take a photo. Tell him he’s the pot of gold. He shakes his head, like only he can. Hand off a paper to Bow White, Levine, Bruce Brown. Clock-er’s stand. Man, oh man, who’s the bay breezing? I write a note to myself.
Where are you?On the way. Five minutes.Loop around, see Mike Trombetta. Hand off
papers, he tells me about a jumper he just sold with-out me. “That worked out great,” he says. For you, not me. Back across, the road, can’t forget my old boss Leo O’Brien, he had John Velazquez text me the last time he didn’t get his paper (it was a Mon-day and there was no paper), past Jeremiah Engle-hart’s, then Leo’s, while I’m here, better drop four at Pletcher’s. Wow, see a bay walk past for Englehart. I stop and gawk. Fill the kitchen rack. Rec hall. Park-ing guy.
Where are you?On the way. Five minutes. Across Union Avenue. A bay horse of John
Shirreffs’ limps off the track. Shirreffs jumps off his pony, leans down and picks up the horse’s hoof. He pulls his right hand like he’s pulling a bottle cap off a stubborn bottle and holds up a nail. Two inches long, blood on the tip. The horse walks better, lame, but better. “So the nail story is true,” Shirreffs says, with a shake of his head.
Where are you?On the way. Five minutes. To the grandstand to voice a commercial for
Mike Penna. I wait behind a line of fans walking toward the rail. The siren blares. A horse stands at the eighth pole, outrider holding his leg. Damn. I drive closer, nothing I can do. A fan stops me, tells me why the horse spooked. I listen. Nod.
Where are you?On the way. Five minutes. One take for the commercial, that’ll do. Back
through the grandstand, past the quarter pole and around the turn. A man on a bicycle stops me, holds onto the railing of the cart, I listen about giving away boots to diabetic backstretch workers. I jot a note down, write something about it (back at the office, someone tells me someone else is on it). Back on the move, through the skinny part past, the five-eighths pole and see Lisa Lewis for the first time all meet. Jump out, hug, make up for lost time.
Where are you?On the way. Five minutes. Rick Violette talks about federal legislation.
Lasix. A broken escalator. One thing you can say is he cares. Phil Serpe stops to talk about The Chief. Tells a story I can’t tell. Check the phone, five min-utes to turf works. Somewhere along the line the sun comes up, the breeze picks up.
Where are you?On the way. Five minutes. Turf works, I miss the chaos of the old days
when they hit the gap like the running of the bulls. I watch, take notes, see if I see something that rocks me. Back in the cart, weaving through the Saturday cars. Around the bend to where I started. Bill Mott waves from his courtyard, picks up his hand, mimes a fork to mouth. I stop, he offers me a knife and a slice of a 12-foot hoagie. Lunch, already.
Where are you?On the way. Five minutes. As my dad always told me, nothing takes five
minutes – at least in a golf cart, on a beautiful Sat-urday morning in Saratoga.
cupofcoffee E-Z GoBY SEAN CLANCY
CURALINAAcorn Stakes (G1)
Coaching Club American Oaks (G1)
GRADED STAKES GLORY STARTS HERE
KEENELAND SEPTEMBER YEARLING SALEMONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
Monday - Wednesday, Sept. 14-16, sessions begin at 11 a.m. ETFriday - Saturday, Sept. 18-19, sessions begin at 10 a.m. ETSunday - Saturday, Sept. 20-26, sessions begin at 10 a.m. ET
Book 1Book 2Books 3-6
