In a week that featured Fabulous Fillies Day, one fine filly showed the boys who's boss last Saturday when she became the first filly in 35 years to win the $500K Grade 1 Fourstardave.
Got Stormy not only handled the boys, she broke the course record by over a full second, and did it old school style on one week's rest after winning the De La Rose the Saturday before.
While trainer Mark Casse was less than thrilled with owner Gary Barber's bold move to run her back on short notice, all's well that ends well, as Got Stormy proved she was more than ready in front of a crowd of over 41,000.
She set the course record, covering the mile over the inner turf in 1:32 flat, and sprinted home to an easy 2-1/2 length victory under Ricardo Santana, Jr.
As is par for the course, Chad Brown sent out a formidable trio, including another filly, Uni, who was actually the 9-5 post time favorite, along with Raging Bull and Made You Look.
Made You Look briefly held a two length lead after Todd Pletcher's Gidu streaked out like a rabbit, only to fade, but Made You Look had nothing left either.
Got Stormy roared home, while Raging Bull, Uni and Mark Casse's other entry, March to the Arch, managed to close in the money, but were no match for the blazing winner.
Casse, the Canadian Hall of Famer, is no stranger to success with a talented turf filly. He trained the sublime Tepin, who won the Eclipse Award three times and the 2015 Breeders' Cup Mile, and he believes that Got Stormy has the same potential.
Ricardo Santana, who called her a "monster" after the race, graciously thanked her regular rider, Tyler Gaffalione, for giving him some pre-race tips, but agreed that she didn't need much guidance.
Gaffalione was previously committed to ride Got Stormy's stablemate, Live Oak Plantation's March to the Arch, who he rode to victory in the Grade 2 Wise Dan at Churchill Downs in June, but he ended up on the wrong horse this day in 4th place.
Next up for Got Stormy is probably the $1 Million Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on Casse's home turf September 14th, and she's also earned a free trip to Santa Anita for the Breeders' Cup Mile, following her "Win And You're In" victory in the Fourstardave.
In Saturday's co-feature, the 114th running of the Grade 2 Saratoga Special for 2-year-old colts, Jimmy Jerkens' Green Light Go never stopped on his way to a 3-3/4 lengths victory.
Junior Alvarado was once again aboard the big, strapping son of Hard Spun, who looked like a man among boys while recording his second straight victory. He broke his maiden at first asking by wiring the field for a 3-1/4 lengths score on the 4th of July at Belmont, and seems primed for a bright future.
Jimmy Jerkens has said that although he'll nominate his "special" juvenile for the Grade 1 Hopeful on closing day, he'll probably just give his talented charge a breather, and let him leisurely train up to the prestigious Grade 1 Champagne on October 5th at Belmont.
As a native New Yorker, Jimmy holds the Champagne in high regard, as it was the most important juvenile race before the advent of the Breeders' Cup. It is now part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge, and the winner also receives 10 points on the Kentucky Derby ledger.
In one five year span from 1974-1978, future Hall of Famers Foolish Pleasure, Honest Pleasure, Seattle Slew, Alydar and Spectacular Bid captured editions of the signature race, as did other greats like Buckpasser, Riva Ridge and Easy Goer. And Jimmy would love to do something his Dad never did, as somehow the Champagne eluded the Chief.
Green Light Go was just one of four impressive juveniles on display last Saturday.
Christophe Clement and West Point Thoroughbreds sent Decorated Invader out for the second time this meet, and the son of Declaration of War delivered on second outing with a 3-1/4 length maiden victory in the 1-1/16 mile race over the Mellon Turf Course.
Steve Asmussen and Ricardo Santana hit the Winner's Circle together twice last Saturday with another pair of good looking juveniles.
In the 5th, first-time starter Tumbling Sky, a chesnut son of Competitive Edge, broke his maiden against a field that included a $1.4 million son of American Pharoah, Kittansett, who finished out of the money.
In the 7th, another first-time starter for Asmussen put everyone on notice that he will be a force to be reckoned with. Gozilla, a chesnut son of Flatter, was absolutely dazzling, and should be high on Derby futures' radar.
While leading jockey Jose Ortiz was holding down the fort at the Spa, on a modest day by his standards with only one win, brother Irad and Chad Brown, along with Hall of Famers Johnny Velazquez and Javi Castellano, were literally tearing up the turf in Chicago on Arlington Million Day.
It was a remarkable day of racing for Chad Brown, as he captured all three Grade 1s, and added a Grade 3 in the nightcap, sweeping the final four races on the card.
Peter Brant's Sistercharlie was a repeat winner in the $600K Grade 1 Beverly D, and earned a career-best 105 Beyer for her 3-length victory in the 1-3/16 mile race, once again with Johnny Velazquez up.
The reigning Eclipse Award winner as the Champion Turf Female rallied from the back of the seven-horse field, going three wide to chase down her stablemate and pacesetter, Thais, just as she did in the Diana. And it's no coincidence that Peter Brant is the owner of both!
With this victory, Sistercharlie was granted a berth in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, where she'll try to defend her title. If she follows last year's path, she'll go straight from repeat victories in the Diana and Beverly D to the Breeders' Cup in Santa Anita.
The afternoon continued with the 43rd running of the $500K Grade 1 Secretariat for 3-year-olds going a mile. Chad's lightly raced Valid Point, a son of Scat Daddy, made e Five Racing and Bob Edwards proud when he went from last to first under Javi Castellano, and remained undefeated, fending off Aidan O'Brien's Van Beethoven for his first Grade 1 victory.
In the 32nd running of the Arlington Million, Seth Klarman's and Bill Lawrence's Bricks and Mortar proved that he is solid as a rock, and presented a strong case for his Horse of the Year consideration.
With his exciting, come-from-behind closing kick, Bricks and Mortar held off the challenge of Aidan O'Brien's Magic Wand, and earned a 103 Beyer for his 3/4 length victory with Irad Ortiz aboard.
The 5-year-old son of Giant's Causeway has remained perfect since returning from a 14-month layoff last December, following surgery for a hock condition. He has gone 6-6, and is now 10-12 in his career, with earnings of close to $4.9 million.
His lone blemishes were in the 2017 Grade 3 Saranac here at the Spa, when he was beaten by Voodoo Song, and in October of 2017 in the Grade 3 Hill Prince at Belmont, when he was beaten by Yoshida.
Although Bricks and Mortar has a "Win and You're In" free entry to the 12 furlong Breeders' Cup Turf after his victory in the 10 furlong Arlington Million, Chad is still not sure where he'll enter his star next, as he maintains that 10 furlongs is his best distance.
His tour de force campaign and racing career will definitely end in one of the Breeders' Cup races, as it was reported by BloodHorse earlier this week that Bricks and Mortar's breeding rights were sold to Teruya Yoshida's Shadai Farm in Japan. Both Yoshida and his bloodstock agent were at Arlington to see their future sire perform, and I'm sure they left with smiles on their faces.
In the final race at Arlington, the Grade 3 Pucker Up at a mile and 1/8 for 3-year-old fillies, Peter Brant's Cafe Americano, a daughter of Medaglia d'Oro, gave Irad Ortiz his second straight victory on the card. Following his back-to-back victories in the Million last year and this year, Irad was once again sent back home just in time for his birthday, and what I'm sure was a happy celebration.
On the opening night of the New York-bred Yearling Sales, a colt by Constitution went for $340K, while a filly by Runhappy went for $300K. During the day session on Monday, Larry Best's OXO Equine had the Sales topper when they paid $775K for a filly by Malibu Moon out of a Street Sense mare. Jeremiah Englehart went to $500K for a filly by Outwork out of an unraced Tiznow mare.
Although the numbers were slightly down this year after a robust 2018 sale, it is nonetheless a wonderful thing to see how far the New York-breds have come in recent years.
The racing community was in shock following the unexpected passing of Carmen Barrera last week. Her many friends and colleagues gathered en force in the Winner's Circle for an impromptu and heartfelt tribute to the longtime Director of Horsemen's Relations immediately after the devastating announcement came across the loudspeakers.
Carmen, the daughter of trainer Luis, who won the Belmont with Summing in 1981, and the niece of Laz, who campaigned Affirmed to the Triple Crown in 1978, was with NYRA for over 40 years. She was only 60. Carmen will be sorely missed by so many, as was evidenced by the outpouring of love.
This coming Monday, August 19th, Second Chance Sports and The Learning League will present the 2nd annual Health, Horses and Making History Travers Week Celebration.
I first learned about this event last year from my Saratoga friend, John Huppuch, who has helped promote this fundraising event that supports the programs the non-profit has run for over 30 years. They provide veterans, active duty military, and individuals and families with sports therapies and treatments for spinal injuries, autism and P.T.S.D.
The event will be held at the Sports Plex in Clifton Park on 6 Corporate Drive from 6-10, and Jack Knowlton, owner of Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide will be the guest speaker.
For more information about the evening and to purchase tickets or make a donation, you can call/text Founder/Director Billy Yaiser at #518-491-0556 or #518-430-8374. Thank you so much for supporting this worthy cause, and on to Alabama Day in advance of Travers week!
