Coinage topples favorites in With Anticipation

A dearth of other speed in the $150,000 With Anticipation S. (G3) helped propel Coinage to an initial stakes victory in his turf debut Wednesday at Saratoga.

Sent to the front right away by Junior Alvarado, Coinage saw little pressure as he clipped off modest fractions of :25.66, :50:65, and 1:15.59. Second choice Portfolio Company, who might have been expected to apply more pressure, broke slow and proved hard to rate much of the way.

Portfolio Company took a run at Coinage turning for home, but the soft pace left the latter with plenty left in the tank. Coinage came home two lengths in front of Portfolio Company, while odds-on favorite Limited Liability, hindered by the slow pace, finished 3 1/2 lengths farther back in third.

"I seldom say this, but I told Junior to take no prisoners and go," winning trainer Mark Casse said. "He's a good horse. He has a high cruising speed. We breezed him over the turf a couple of times as we like to do."

Owned by breeders Chester and Mary Broman in partnership with D. J. Stable, Coinage paid $15.80. He covered 1 1/16 miles on firm ground in 1:43.69.

Coinage had competed exclusively against New York-bred company prior to the With Anticipation. Third on debut at Belmont Park in May, he returned a month later to graduate by 7 3/4 lengths going 5 1/2 furlongs. Most recently, he finished third as the favorite in the Rick Violette S. at Saratoga. Coinage has now earned $144,750.

By Tapit, Coinage is the first foal produced by Bar of Gold, upset winner of the 2017 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1).