Saratoga Trip Notes (8/22-9/3)

[ateamstupid]

I'll be posting trip notes for the final two weeks of the Saratoga meet and Belmont fall here at DT. The idea is to help people who don't have time to dissect replays or give a second read to those who do. Feedback is welcome.

Wednesday, August 22

8-22-01
Meet the Mets off a length slow, Sandy'z Slew off a half-length slow. After his hesitant start, Meet the Mets was guided to the inside, sat unhurried in the second flight through the turn, saved ground into the stretch, was bottled up briefly between the eventual place and show horses when attempting to switch out, went back inside and brushed slightly with the tiring pacesetter, was soon clear and kicked on up the rail to win as best for a cold barn. Sandy'z Slew set up shop outside of the pacesetter down the backstretch, slipped into the 2-path going into the turn, was asked to collar the leader entering the stretch, then drifted out slightly to meet the challenge of Saint Arthur, allowing the winner an alley to his inside, could not quite match that one's late punch but held second in a good enough debut. Saint Arthur stumbled a bit coming out of the gate, could not keep up with the first three early, was asked going into the turn and had to come 3-4 wide after the top pair, could not forge past Sandy'z Slew, but continued on well to be a clear third in a good debut considering the ground loss. Goodtolook took a ton of late money, broke sharply and quickly made the lead, but was hounded by Sandy'z Slew for the first half-mile, tried to fight off a two-pronged challenge from that one and Saint Arthur until midstretch, began to sputter at the 1/8 pole and could not keep up with the top three thereafter. Steam horse bears watching for a barn whose 2-year-olds usually do better with a race in the rearview.

8-22-02
Little Nick and Ziptronic both broke ahead of the field. Jess Not Jesse was bumped by Departures after the start, tugged his way between horses into a share of second behind a loose leader, got carried wide off the turn by the pacesetter, was set down at the 3/16 pole, continued to drift out when the leader did in midstretch, eventually edged clear of that one just in time to hold off the bid of Ziptronic to his inside. Talented but fragile gelding finally managed (at 6) to get healthy enough to pair up wins. Hopefully he sticks around for Belmont fall. Ziptronic broke with the leader but was allowed to settle back in fifth early, was kept in reserve while saving ground as the pace quickened around the turn, came off the rail entering the stretch, was let out at the 3/16 pole, came through a big opening towards the inside when the leader bore out, was narrowly beaten to the wire by the sharp winner once that one cleared the pacesetter but ran well with a great trip and ride. Evacuation Route dropped back to last early, came off the rail on the turn when Ziptronic snuck over to the inside, produced a wide rally into the stretch and had to keep drifting wider along with the winner when the pacesetter got out, reeled the tiring leader in to get third but was no match for the top pair. Castellano was outridden by Dominguez here, who beat him to the rail on the turn and, as a result, the inside opening in the stretch. That said, Evacuation Route's lack of early pace hurts him in these typically speed-controlled Saratoga turf sprints. Interested to see what he'll do if he shows up in a longer turf sprint at Belmont. Little Nick is reportedly sore and ran like it, was off to a clear lead and quit in the stretch while bearing out badly.

8-22-03
Clear Pasaj was off a length slow, otherwise break was clean. Class Action Suit settled off the moderate early pace in midpack, made a sustained 3-wide bid after the dueling leaders on the turn as the pace quickened significantly, was taken wide off the turn by Vicki's Dancer, continued to chase that one before finally grinding past her inside the 1/8 pole, drew clear inside the 1/16 and held off a late longshot bid to score as clearly best off the claim. Warrior Marie tracked in the second flight on the inside down the backstretch, saved ground while unhurried as the pace began to quicken on the turn, was switched out deftly for clear run around the 3/16 pole, whittled away at the winner's margin in the final 1/16 but fell just short with a great trip and ride. Good step forward for this filly. Vicki's Dancer emerged from the early pace morass in a close second, disposed of early leader Ibid on the turn through a sharp middle 1/4, opened a clear lead turning for home, dug in gamely to try to hold off the challenge of the eventual winner but succumbed inside the 1/8 pole, only being passed thereafter by the tripped-out place horse. Ran the second-best race. Victory Island settled near the back early, tried to follow the winner's bid while 3-4 wide on the far turn but could not keep pace, switched to her left lead at the 1/8 pole, got back on her right lead late and sucked up for fourth as the overbet favorite.

8-22-04
Sylvestris stumbled a bit at the start. Favored Adjacent was allowed an easy, clear lead, dictated terms with the eventual place and show horses tracking third and second, continued on that soft pace around the far turn, race became a 1/4-mile sprint turning for home, with Adjacent narrowly holding off Sylvestris and Warm Hugs to score with the best trip, running the final 5/16 in :28.86. Top three were clearly best of this group, but would give a pass to those in the rear through the first three pace calls, as it was simply impossible to close ground in the stretch.

8-22-05
Clean break. Bourbon Twist dropped into the 2-path going into the first turn, had to check slightly when straightening onto the backstretch, settled nicely in sixth, launched a 3-wide bid on the near side of the turn while her stablemate went 4-wide, inhaled the frontrunners before they turned for home, opened up in the stretch to win as much the best on debut. The Lady Says Yes was steered to the rail going into the first turn, ran in last down the backstretch behind a slow pace, came off the inside midway around the far turn, made a 4-wide sweep alongside her stablemate, forcing that one's hand, could not keep pace with the quickening winner and stayed on to get a distant second by default. John's Mariah was eager early but wrangled off the slow tempo, ran in the second flight down the backstretch, was shuffled back on the turn when the top two were making their moves, got bottled up turning for home, closed decently to just miss third once clear. Poorly ridden and deserves another shot to see what she can do routing on grass.

8-22-06
Break good. Master Achievement made the lead on his own power, was unchallenged through moderate fractions, responded when set down entering the stretch and maintained a clear lead to the wire. Theft by Dominguez on a very sharp winner. Odds-on Kitten's Kid managed to get by stalking Knock Rock late but could not make up significant ground on the winner. No major trips in this strung out field.

8-22-07
Counting Days broke 1-2 lengths slow. Coach A. J. made a clear lead, maintained that advantage into the stretch while running well off the rail, was confronted and briefly headed by the eventual place horse, battled back while drifting out further, herding the place horse in deep stretch in typical Castellano fashion and held on to win narrowly. Boston Proper tracked outside the winner throughout, made a strong looking bid to briefly take the lead at the 1/16 pole, was herded by the winner just enough to lose momentum late and fell short. River Cruising sat in the second flight down the backstretch, came 4-wide on the near side of the turn to take a crack at the leader, couldn't quite get to that one but finished well while being affected as well by the winner's herding. Positive turf debut. Counting Days deserves another shot, as he quickly dropped back to last following the slow start and came off the rail to make a wide sweep on the turn, eventually getting into fourth from the back in a race that was dominated up front.

8-22-08
Break OK. Colony Strike went 3-wide around the first turn, was part of a trio of pace players setting a progressively faster clip down the backstretch, challenged the favorite midway around the far turn when the other speed checked out, battled that one into submission past the 3/16, continued on while bearing out a bit in deep stretch to score by a half-length. Good win, disposing of the other speeds despite being widest of them, holding sway late over the tripped-out place horse. Washington's Rules was several lengths off the 3-way duel up front, came wide off the turn to try to reel in the leaders, drifted out further under a lefty whip around the 1/8 pole, closed in from the middle of the track but couldn't produce a strong enough punch to get by the much-the-best winner. Second-best with a good trip.

8-22-09
Quiet Favorite and Live for Today each off a length slow. Willy Beamin was sent through between horses to make the lead into the first turn, set an easy pace largely unpressed, saw off a challenge from Fox Rules on the far turn, was asked at the 3/16 and responded to widen quickly in the final furlong, won off with a great trip, proving himself clearly best of the NY-bred 3-year-olds. Pearl of Wisdom was wide on both turns in the second flight, tired late to narrowly miss the show, but ran a better than looked race in his first start against winners. Don't know what the plan was with Fox Rules, as he somehow encountered an even slower pace than the one he set in the NY Derby and yet wasn't put on the lead. Expect a better effort when he's put on the lead once again. Zivo sat in a pocket while 2-wide on both turns, came through between horses to get a distant second late. OK horse but like the rest of these isn't on the same level as the winner. Slow pace will make for a depressed figure in this race.

8-22-10
Cypress Pond tossed his rider at the start but ran to the outside hedge on the first turn and didn't do any damage to the others. Krissy Kat settled in a distant fourth early behind a legitimate and contested pace, was asked to go after the top flight midway on the far turn, sidled up to last remaining pace player Race Palace nearing the 1/8 pole, began to drift out from there, costing the runner-up momentum and holding on to score by a neck as a result. Warm Glow took back early to avoid the riderless horse, ducked over to the hedge and saved ground on the first turn, continued a rail run on the far turn, came off the rail nearing the stretch, produced a strong late charge in the center of the course, was affected by the winner's extreme bearing out, had her momentum stopped and couldn't quite get up. Probably should've won, but until being carried out had an absolutely perfect trip. Race Palace likely ran the best race. She chased runaway speed Coral Glade's hot fractions throughout, went 3-wide on the far turn, put away Street Dreams in the stretch but couldn't quite keep up with the top pair in the late stages. Other two speeds finished up the track. Good effort that'll be hidden in the form. Top three were clearly best.