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Chace City all professional in Saratoga Special Showing no trace of his juvenile antics that had been on display in recent starts, Gold Square's CHACE CITY (Carson City) posted a professional three-quarters of a length victory in Thursday's $200,000 Saratoga Special Breeders' Cup S. (G2). Under new rider Edgar Prado, the Scott Blasi pupil finished 6 1/2 furlongs on the fast track in 1:16 4/5 as the 2-1 favorite. Unlike his last effort in the Bashford Manor S. (G3), when he leapt acrobatically after the start while trying to jump the rail, Chace City broke well from post 5 and dueled between foes in the early going. Longshot Actin Good (Yes It's True) secured the rail and had his head in front through an opening quarter in :22 1/5, but Chace City held a head advantage through the half in :45 2/5. Despite the pressured, swift pace, Chace City was traveling smoothly, and at the top of the stretch, he spurted away from the field. The bay opened up by 1 1/2 lengths in midstretch, and unlike his win in the Victoria S. at Woodbine, when he ducked in at the eighth pole, here he maintained a straight course while getting six furlongs in 1:10 1/5. Chace City kept on resolutely all the way to the line to return $6.30, $3.20 and $3.10. "He's been compromised by his post position draws in his last three races," Blasi said, referring to Chace City's breaking from the rail in his two stakes appearances and post 3 in his debut, "mainly because he has trouble paying attention. Mentally, he is starting to put it together. He's definitely a horse that will get better with racing. Winning is the best thing for the mind, especially after a bad experience last time." "They told me to play it by the break," Prado explained. "If he breaks good, send him. I rode him with confidence today. Turning for home, he gave me a quick burst, and I was able to get away a little bit. He's a Carson City, so I don't know how far he'll go, but he's a nice colt right now." King of the Roxy (Littleexpectations), making his first start since being purchased by Team Valor and switching to Todd Pletcher's barn, had been chasing in third on the outside. In the stretch, the dark bay leveled off and was doing his best work late to reduce the winner's margin, giving back $4.30 and $2.90 as the fourth choice in the wagering at nearly 3-1. It was another 6 1/2 lengths back to Shermanesque (Fusaichi Pegasus), who was reserved off the early pace and got up by a neck for third, paying $2.70. The exotics totaled $24.60 (Exacta) and $57 (trifecta). Actin Good crossed the wire in fourth, followed by the coupled entry of Teuflesberg (Johannesburg), who stumbled badly at the break, and Fast N Ready (More Than Ready), who never recovered after being steadied and wound up a distant last. Cash Rich (Orientate) was scratched. Chace City improved his record to three wins in four starts, his lone reverse coming in the Bashford Manor, when he closed for sixth after his wild beginning. He has now earned $219,783. The winner was purchased for $400,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 2005. The first registered foal from the winning General Jeanne (Honour and Glory), Chace City has an unnamed yearling half-brother by Victory Gallop and a 2006 half-sister by Dixie Union. This is the family of current stakes performers Shaniko (A.P. Indy), successful in the 2005 Kentucky Cup Classic S. (G2); Muir Beach (Skip Away), who boasts 11 stakes tallies on her resume, four of them in 2006; and Saint Daimon (Saint Ballado), winner of last year's Huntington S. and second in the Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup S. (G3) on July 1.
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