For the Week of: 06/19/2023 through 6/25/2023
By 2YO EdgeMan
ELP2:062223 – Riley Mott saddled the gate to wire winner in this one – #3 Fifth Avenue. Luis Saez sprung with him from the gate like a shot from a cannon and he immediately built roughly a two-length lead which he held through the turn before putting his rivals away when he was set down at the head of the stretch, ultimately winning by 5 ¼ lengths on the wire. His fractions were solid: 23.01, 45.86, and 58.05, before stamping a final time of 1:04.61 and an E-Speed Fig of 67. Clearly this colt could have put up faster numbers, but he was never pushed. The reward to the loyal patrons who invested $2W on him was $6.88. Our pick – #8 Lambo – veered towards the outside fence when he broke from the gate, but was rushed up to gain second position fairly quickly. Gaffalione asked him to step on the gas nearing the top of the lane, but he looked quite green from that point forward. actually jumping a few paths to his right and then it was clearly a race for second, which he held. Learnings – There’s that prior race experience again apparently making a difference. I thought it was interesting that Riley worked him on the turf in his two breezes between his prior race and this one, but who knows – either way, he was clearly the best. Note: million+ dollar baby – #4 Daily Grind – was scratched from this race.
BEL5:062223 – This was an excellent race and I predict that it will be a ‘key’ race as the season moves forward. The top four are all high-quality juveniles and it was fun watch the race develop and the witness the babies battling it out. In the end, #7 Please Advise – made a strong, sustained run throughout the stretch and secured the win by a clear 1 ½ lengths in a final time of a brisk 57.25 seconds (and impressive 87 EBSF). Our pick – #4 Dark Vintage – and the favorite – #5 Culprit – sprinted out as a team to set the swift fractions of 22.39 and 45.28. Both were collared by the winner just before the 1/8 pole, after he stalked in fourth place on the turn, about 3 ½ or 4 lengths back. George Weaver (he’s had a heck of a week, hasn’t he?) trains the Palace Malice colt who’s owned by R A Hill Stable and he paid $10.20. In the Game of Silks, it showed that he was available in the Auction House. Learnings – A loss is a loss, but I was proud of our pick as he was pinned along the fence while essentially running even with the favorite, but he didn’t give him an inch, in fact he finished better than that one to secure the third-place money. The winner was simply the best horse, as apparently we should have picked up from his last work up at Saratoga. Pletcher’s #3 Noted – also, shorter in odds than our pick, moved very well through the lane to clip our pick at the line by about ½ length for second.
ELP2:062323 – Our pick – #4 Mystical Chant – broke quickly and set the pace down the backstretch and for much of the turn, but the eventual winner – #5 Saratoga Secret – was just too good. Luis Saez let his filly settle in second place, behind our pick, and then slowing moved forward, catching her rival near the end of the turn and then really began opening up at the 1/16th pole, winning by three lengths in the end. Our pick was game until late and she did easily hold on for the runner up slot. Fractions were honest – 22.91, 45.83, 58.09 and the final time was 1:04.63, good for a so-so E-Speed Fig of 76. $8.68 was the value of the $2W ticket. A big congrats to the winning owner in the Game of Silks – SkyFallsJockeyClub. Learnings – Saratoga Secret simply checked off all of the boxes (solid works, good breeding, reasonable auction price, strong jockey etc), however, Lukas doesn’t often strike with first timers, as he was only 1 for 13 (7.7%) with FTS 2YO MSW at Churchill in the spring from 2018 thru 2022. But it’s clear, owner BC Stables is loaded for bear with the 2YOs this year.
ELP2:062423 – Heavy favorite – #9 Let’s Go Mark and jockey Luis Saez (who swept our three races at Ellis this week) – grabbed the lead shortly after the gates flew open, led by a length and a half or so around the turn and then gradually increased his lead to put his nose on the wire first, while 2 1/2 lengths clear. His fractions were: 22.71, 45.92 and 58.33, with a final clocking of 1:04.97 and a 76 E-Speed Fig which was actually lower than his previous two races. $4.62 was the reward paid to the $2W backers of John Ennis’ victor. He has to be minted or delivered in the Game of Silks. Our pick – #6 In a Jam – was never going to beat the winner, but he ran a game race often between horses or pressed to the fence and was cut off and slowed at the eighth pole – he finished third. Learnings – Yet another runner with experience scores and it was interesting that John Ennis was able to secure the services of Luis Saez. Note: #2 Coulditbemajic lost all chances at the gate when the #3 horse broke smack into him and shuffled him back to last, several lengths behind. However, he made up a huge amount of ground to narrowly miss getting up for the show money.
We’ve got a big week ahead of us with one of our races on Thursday at the Pea Patch, one each at ELP and BEL on Friday and another on Saturday back at Ellis Park. And – Saratoga starts in less than two and a half weeks! So, stay close and know that we are here to serve you on all things regarding high-end two-year-old Maiden Special Weight racing. All the best to my Edgie Faithfuls.
