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A visionary result in the King's Bishop Saturday's $250,000 King's Bishop S. (G1) started out with a mad scramble for the early lead, continued with a thronging cavalry charge as the field fanned out turning for home, but ended with a clear-cut winner in Team Valor International and Vision Racing's VISIONAIRE (Grand Slam). The Michael Matz pupil took full advantage of a bruising pace battle at Saratoga, rallying from dead last to garner the prestigious contest going away by 2 1/4 lengths. Once a classic hopeful who wound up 12th in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Visionaire now appears to have found his niche at shorter distances. In the opening stages of the King's Bishop, a handful of colts rocketed forward in a blistering duel. Gentleman James (Yankee Gentleman), Golden Spikes (Seeking the Gold) and J Be K (Silver Deputy) eventually got the upper hand from their nearest pursuers, and the trailblazing trio were at each other's throats through testing fractions of :22 1/5 and :44 3/5. Meanwhile, Alan Garcia was biding his time aboard Visionaire, who was content to anchor the 10-horse field. "The horse has just one style of running, and it can get a little nerve-wracking," Matz said, admitting that he was not particularly confident while watching Visionaire in last on the backstretch. Leaving the far turn, 8-5 favorite J Be K held a narrow lead, and since he was traveling best of the pace factors, he inched away to a one-length margin in mid-stretch. The closers, however, were beginning to launch their bids. Desert Key (E Dubai), I'm So Lucky (Langfuhr) and Lantana Mob (Posse) all emerged from the tangled pack of sophomores, some of whom were barging into each other, and those three swamped the tiring J Be K. Motoring fastest of all was Visionaire, who stormed home with an eye-catching run on the far outside. The chestnut conjured a terrific burst of speed through the final furlong to complete the seven-furlong affair in 1:21 4/5 on the fast track. In so doing, he presented Garcia with his fifth victory on the card. Dispatched at nearly 7-1, the decisive winner returned $15.60, $7.60 and $4.60. The 6-1 Desert Key prevailed in a three-way photo for runner-up honors, yielding $7.50 and $5.70. I'm So Lucky, also 6-1, was himself a nose in front of Lantana Mob and paid $5.70 to show. The exacta totaled $126, and the 5-2-10 trifecta was good for $744. It was another 3 1/4 lengths back to Kodiak Kowboy (Posse) in fifth, followed by J Be K, Salute the Sarge (Forest Wildcat), Silver Edition (Silver Deputy), Gentleman James and Golden Spikes. Nautical Storm (Storm Cat) was scratched. Visionaire opened 2008 with a resounding 5 1/2-length allowance score at Gulfstream Park. He jumped to stakes company next out in the Risen Star S. (G3) at Fair Grounds and finished third, 2 3/4 lengths back of the winning Pyro (Pulpit). Visionaire got up in time by a nose in the foggy Gotham S. (G3), but after a fifth in the Blue Grass S. (G1), the aforementioned 12th in the Run for the Roses, and a third in the Northern Dancer S. (G3), he cut back in trip to take a 6 1/2-furlong allowance/optional claimer at Saratoga. That success paved the way for his tilt at the King's Bishop. This first Grade 1 tally boosted his bankroll to $462,287 from his 10-5-1-2 line. Bred in Kentucky by Reiley McDonald, Visionaire passed through the sales ring three times, eventually bringing $220,000 at the 2007 OBS June two-year-old sale. He's the second foal out of the stakes-placed Scarlet Tango (French Deputy), who is also the dam of the unraced juvenile gelding Cape Point (Cape Town), an unnamed yearling colt by Yes It's True and a 2008 colt by Grand Slam. Visionaire's second dam, 10-time stakes queen Silver Tango (Silver Badge), was a hardy campaigner on the Mid-Atlantic circuit. This is the family of Grade 3 winner and 2006 Santa Anita Derby (G1) runner-up Point Determined (Point Given).
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