Saratoga Trip July 27, 2023 St. Joe Louis hits the board
R1 A hurdling event. We passed. The race began and Beatlebon moved way forward as much 20 lengths on the field at one point, but tired near the end. L'Imperator went pretty slowly, focused on clearing the jumps but once the last hurdle was jumped, he took off, not terribly quickly but stridently and enough to surpass the flaillling BeatleBon. We know L'Imperator as a capable turf runner [Ran in the Belmont Stakes just last month.] and found his flexibility most astounding.
R3 We usually skip Maiden races but we were out for fun.
Picked Gram, a favorite, one of the only two in the bunch that had actually run
before. Quite an eventful run to victory it was in the end for Gram. When they
broke, Follow Your Arrow took the lead and held it until Heavenly Girl took
over in the stretch, where we were sitting. Must say these horses running live
are 10 times faster than on TV! Anyway, rider Joel Rosario strongly coaxed Gram throughout, saved
ground, steadied as needed, took the five path to go forward, fought (as did
Heavenly Girl!) and was victorious.
R4 The Honorable Miss Stakes Steve Asmussen’s Echo Zulu was
odds on to win in a race with just three other fillies and mares. The question
was is this 2021 2 year old filly of the year getting better? Another question:
Will she be challenged by Frank’s Rockette and tire due to a speed duel? Well,
Echo Zulu took a contested lead at a rapid pace of 22/0 and 44/1 and pulled
away by 5 lengths in the stretch to win by 7 lengths as she motored down to a
final time of 1:08/7 for the 6 furlongs which equaled the best Beyer rating
(112 by Cody's Wish in the Metropolitan Handicap) yet this year. We were at the
8th Pole at the fence. Saratoga has a country feel, and you easily
rub shoulders with horse racing famous. Still, a great surprise to see Steve
Asmussen in the flesh, and the speed he could run at, as he vaulted past us to
the Winners Circle. [Also saw Andy Serling, Richard Migliore, Chad Brown,
Acacia Clemente, Luis Saez and, later at a restaurant in the evening, Todd
Pletcher and Mike Repole. Repole and Pletcher would win the following Saturday in the Jim Dandy with Forte ridden [controversially as often the case] by Irad Ortiz.] Not a big pay day, but a lot of exciting fun.
https://www.drf.com/news/echo-zulu-leaves-honorable-miss-rivals-far-behind
R5 – The pre-race tout show in the gazebo area enforced what
the Racing Form Past Performances and my memory held – that St Joe Louis [named
after a Basquiat painting?] could grind and contest but not close out a
victory. But I had to like him. Since he had “seconditis” I played him to come
in second. Naturally, he came in third. Maybe next time! Pletcher’s Relate won
going away at 10-1 ridden by Luis Saez.
R7- R 7 A 5 and 1/2 furlong turf sprint has Wesley Ward
style written all over it, and it seems
delusional to go against this morning line favorite...yet the crowd did
pick out trainer Mike Trombetta’s Our Shot, ahead of Ward's Arrest Me Red. Well
there were good questions that could be asked of the 5 yo, that has not always
come out on top in the specialty. But his form looked good to me. Irad Ortiz
was at the wheel, tho here he was to be bested by Luis Saez on the slight
favorite Our Shot with an inside post and game. Andy Serling's long-shot pick
Coppola was in front in the early going but gave way entering the stretch. That
is where Our Shot took over. Arrest Me Red had come from the 8 hole,
"fought with multiple foes" and closed strongly, but missed by a
head. Later, in the evening, in line at the loo at the restaurant I met Wesley
Ward's aunt. And we chocked it up to bad luck. Tho, it was good luck day for
Luis Saez.
R8 and R9 – The horses we play to win {Sweet Mystery and
Anatollan} each come in second. There is solace in nearness, but no bracelet
for my girl at home as “I’m about even.” B.B.
Saratoga isn't the Graveyard of Champions, it's the Graveyard of bad handicappers" - Harvey Pack
Comments