Counting Stars much the best in Acorn

When Counting Stars brings her A game, she tends to look like the best three-year-old filly in the country. Friday, in the $485,000 Acorn (G1) at Saratoga, Counting Stars did just that.

Rallying out near the middle of the track, Counting Stars surged past odds-on favorite Always a Runner approaching the eighth pole and motored home a 3 3/4-length winner of the nine-furlong test under Irad Ortiz Jr., who had ridden the filly to her four-length debut score at Churchill Downs last September.

Always a Runner, who had beaten Counting Stars into third five weeks ago in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), was second best by two lengths over Meaning, the Kentucky Oaks runner-up. Prom Queen and pacesetter Maximum Offer rounded out the order of finish.

“I was planning to be forward and [Maximum Offer] surprised me at the beginning," Ortiz said. "They had speed on paper, but I thought I was going to be ahead of them. I see them going so I went to 'Plan B,' and I waited behind the speed, and she switched off very, very nice."

"She [overcame] a lot of adversity today, because she doesn't usually like to be down inside," trainer Mark Casse said. "I think Francisco [Arrieta] rode her great in the (Kentucky) Oaks; he saved all the ground, but he couldn't get out until late, and she came running late. So Irad had watched the race and determined at the top of the lane he was going to get out.

"In fairness, we had a five-horse field versus [13], it makes a difference." 

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Counting Stars paid $11.44 and covered one lap of Saratoga's main track in 1:48.85.

The Acorn was the fifth win in nine starts for Counting Stars, and her fourth stakes win. Her prior black-type triumphs, all at Oaklawn Park, were also blowouts, including a 5 1/2-length decision in the Fantasy (G2).

Casse, who trained Nitrogen to a three-year-old filly championship last season, said Counting Stars would target the 1 1/4-mile Alabama (G1) at Saratoga later this summer.

A Kentucky-bred, Counting Stars is by Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Honor A. P. and out of Paynterbynumbers, a daughter of Paynter.

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