SARATOGA DAILY NOTEBOOK
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2005
by Dick Powell
Bobby Frankel always seems to be at his best when he’s being ignored. Despite
winning the last two renewals of the Forego S. (G1), his MASS MEDIA (Touch
Gold) was dismissed at odds of 15-1 today as the longest price in a field of
six.
Forest Danger (Forestry) was sent off the 11-10 favorite even though his
workout pattern indicated that he was trying to catch up for lost time. On his
best effort, he is a monster going seven furlong, but today he appeared very vulnerable. The
question was who was going to beat him.
Ramon Dominguez gunned Battle Won (Honour and Glory) to the front and was
pressed by Yankee Mon (Maria’s Mon). Forest Danger was away slowly after
stumbling and bumbling at the start but instead of the usual rush to the lead he
wound up behind the dueling leaders going into the turn.
When it looked like Johnny Velazquez would switch him to the outside for
clear sailing, Javier Castellano went up next to him and kept him boxed in.
Yankee Mon began to tire turning for home and Battle Won was battling on
courageously. Castellano had the strong horse in a sustained drive and wore him
in the deep stretch to win by a half-length. Battle Won held on for second and
Silver Wagon (Wagon Limit) rallied for third. Forest Danger was a well-beaten
fifth.
Frankel, who was interviewed via telephone from California, was his usual self after the race tossing around compliments like
manhole covers.
“I thought he ran a very good race,” said Frankel. “He impressed me.
Everything played in his favor. I think it helped him being on the outside so
the dirt wouldn’t get kicked in his face. We’ll see how he comes out of this
race and go from there.”
I guess when you win a Grade 1 stakes three years in a
row you come to expect it.
Adding blinkers and going from turf to dirt on a main track that has played
slower than normal all meet was great strategy by Frankel. This was not one of
the best renewals of the Forego, but Frankel had the right horse in the right
spot with the hot rider. If luck is the residue of design, Frankel’s design
of running him in this spot was brilliant.
Two races were switched from the inner turf course to the main track and
there wasn’t a drop of rain. The inner turf course has been beaten up from heavy
use during the meet and some of the jockeys have been complaining about its condition.
Today’s two inner turf events were taken off and they will try to use it on the
two last days of the meet.
PERFORMING DIVA (Storm Cat) lived up to her name a couple of weeks ago here
when she reared in the post parade, hit Jerry Bailey in his face with her poll
(hardest part of a horse’s body that is between its ears) and ran off in the
post parade. Storm Cat’s offspring are usually hot and she was no exception that
day and wound up being scratched.
Bill Mott worked on her some more and her last workout showed that she at
least has been relaxing in the morning. In Saturday’s 6TH race, a maiden
special weight event for juvenile fillies going 6 1/2 furlongs, she went off as
the 54-10 second choice behind odds-on favorite Rainbow Pond (Lemon Drop Kid).
The Bruce Lunsford colors of black with a cerise sash have been very visible
in the winner’s circle of major races lately. He owns the recently-retired
Madcap Escapade and Hopeful (G1) winner First Samurai (Giant’s
Causeway). He also owned Vision and Verse, who won the Illinois Derby
(G2) and was second in the Belmont (G1) and Travers S. (G1), so his full
sister took a lot of money in her career debut here on August 12.
Performing Diva hit the gate at the start that day and raced three wide
before tiring. After her latest escapade when she was scratched, she trained
well and Mott added Lasix and Edgar Prado, who was filling in for Jerry Bailey
who was riding at Del Mar today. Mott is always much tougher second time out and
Prado put her right on the lead from the start. She was chased by Rainbow Pond
and Holy Chimes (Holy Bull) who made a menacing middle move on the turn before
weakening.
In the run for the wire, Performing Diva stroke out beautifully and drew off
to an easy three-length win over Rainbow Pond. Despite the second choice winning
and the 3-5 favorite running second, the exacta came back a very generous $27.60.
Austin Delany used to win a lot of races up here with Leo O’Brien as his
trainer. His Irish Linnet (Seattle Song) won five consecutive runnings of the
Yaddo H. with the distinctive red with green yoke and sleeves. Now,
Delaney has his horses with Jimmy Jerkens, son of Hall of Fame trainer Allen
Jerkens, and he couldn’t have done better with his choice of conditioner.
Jerkens has had a terrific meet with 11 winners after the odds-on MAYO
POST (Dixieland Band) narrowly won the 8TH race and kept many Pick 4 and Pick 6
players alive. It was the third winner on the day for Castellano.
Castellano won five races Saturday, including the last two, and now has third
place to himself with 34 wins. Prado and Velazquez each won one, and Prado now leads the riding standings 43 to 37. Bailey was out of town and
is tied for fourth with Eibar Coa at 31.
Todd Pletcher has been stuck with 20 wins for a few days and leads Steve
Asmussen and Rick Dutrow who each have 13. Mott and Jerkens each have
11 wins and Jerkens has won his with only 28 starters at the meet.
Ramon Dominguez won his 20th race of the meet in the 1ST race when he threaded
SMILING CAT (Tactical Cat) between horses in the deep stretch to win by a neck
in a Mellon Turf Course event. Plus, he worked 2003 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1) winner Funny Cide (Distorted Humor) this morning,
going five-eighths in :59
3/5.
His first venture to ride full time in New York has been a huge success.
“I
felt that I had nothing to lose, but everything to gain coming to Saratoga,”
Dominguez said. “I think I’ve accomplished my mission. I’ve been riding races
for everybody and have gotten some good exposure. I’m thinking about going to Gulfstream (Park) over the winter and hopefully by riding here, I’ll
have some more business if I go.”
He’ll ride at the upcoming Belmont Fall meeting on occasion while riding full
time at Delaware Park and Maryland.
Horses to Watch
2ND – MY FRIEND C. Z. (Seeking The Gold) shouldn’t be a maiden much
longer after rallying for second behind a front-end winner. She had a rough
start and was not able to race up near the lead where she usually runs so her
closing energy was a good sign of things to come.
6TH – YOUKNOWSHESRIGHT (Smart Strike) was a first-time starter that lost all chance
when she was pinched back at the start and showed some talent racing between
horses from the back of the pack.
Sunday Preview
6TH – CURTANA (Lion Hearted) showed talent in her first two starts
breaking from outside posts going short and now gets to stretch out a bit here
with Coa back aboard.
10TH – SILVER WHISTLE (Alphabet Soup) flew home to get second after
overcoming heavy traffic in a stakes on the inner turf. Today, he gets the rail,
longer distance and the wider Mellon Turf Course to come from off the pace.