Second time’s the charm for Honest Al (Susie Raisher)
For the Week of: 07/31/2023 through 08/06/2023
By 2YO EdgeMan
SAR2:080423 – This auction-restricted race was moved to the muddy (sealed) main track. Our pick – #4 Stuck on You – got away from the gate nicely and made the rail while pressing the leader (fractions of 22.58 & 46.14) throughout the turn, but gave way midway down the lane. The eventual winner – #9 Honest Al (by Winstar’s Always Dreaming) was between the aforementioned horses down the backstretch, dropped back a couple of lengths and then he and Manny Franco made their bid entering the turn and gained a two-length margin in the final 1/16th pole before #5 Piccata Prince made a big run from far back to miss by only ¾ of a length. Honest Al, conditioned by Graham Motion, paid $13.20 and earned a 70 E-Speed Fig by running the 5 ½ furlongs in 1:05.58.
Learnings – The fact that the winner had the experience of a race over this track is always a bonus.
SAR1:080523 – Our pick – #1 Aspenite – broke alertly and went right to the lead. He cut out fractions of 24.17, 47.69 and 1:13.14 before running out of steam after he cut corner and turned for home. #9 Trade Imbalance and pilot Irad Ortiz, Jr. laid about four lengths off the lead going down the back side before winding up on the turn and grabbing the lead in the stretch. However – #4 Agate Road – was moving the fastest of all coming down the lane, but lost a head bob by a short nose to the winner #9 Trade Imbalance. The winning colt is trained by Chad Brown and completed the mile on the dirt in 1:41.13 to post a fine EBSF of 81. The winning $2W mutual only returned $4.20.
Learnings – Pletcher had two entered, but Irad moved over to guide Brown’s horse, which always is a very positive sign, especially when it’s a first-time starter, like this colt was today. Watch for Agate Road next out, but I’m sure that he’ll carry very small odds.
SAR2:080523 – Once again, our pick – #7 Ozone – was the sped of the race and once again, he failed in the lane and finished a tiring fourth place. #11 Just Steel – a colt ridden by Joel Rosario and trained by The Coach – put pressure on the leader on the turn as they put up fractions of 22.56, 45.60 and 57.66. That colt had just made the lead when he was engaged by a gritty #1 Be You at the eighth pole. Those two banged around, head-to-head, in the last furlong with the latter even taking a short lead at one point. However, the winner – #11 Just Steel – proved to be just a smidgeon stronger to put his nose in on the wire first. His final time and EBSF were sparkling – 1:10.22 for the six furlongs over the dirt and 97, respectively (yes, nine seven).
Learnings – this colt had two races under his belt, with his most recent coming over today’s strip. D. Wayne had also injected two works into him since his last run, with his last morning outing being a sharp bullet. Note: TAP’s other runner – #4 Locked – came from the back of the pack all the way up to be third.
SAR1:080623 – The tote board lit up after #10 Ozara crossed the line first, a neck in front of our pick – #8 Weigh the Risks. $26.00 was the $2W payout for this filly who was expertly ridden by Tyler Gaffalione and was making her first lifetime start for trainer Christophe Clement. Your winner laid well off the pace until making a run up the rail on the backstretch and then beautifully split horses in the two-path at the top of the stretch and built a short lead before Weigh the Risks and Irad made a big move down the lane after having only one horse beat for much of the race. Fractions for this 1 1/16th grassy affair were not overly brisk – 23.74, 48.94, 1:14.71 and 1:39.38, before the clock stopped at a final time of 1:45.48, good for a solid 75 EBSF.
Learnings – workouts don’t need to be super-fast, even for firsters from the Clement barn. More importantly, she had traveled once in the morning over the lawn of the Oklahoma course. One horse to point out from a trip notes perspective is #3 Later Darling. She broke horribly (nearest the rail) and was double-digit lengths behind and far last in much of the early stages. This filly came flying on the outside down the lane, but had to check when a rival was guided outside into her lane. She then gathered herself and ran on a bit, but could do no better than fourth after losing all of her momentum.
It looks like we’ve got one unrestricted 2YO MSW event at the Spa on both Wednesday and Thursday, so you know that we’ve be all over those two, with both feet. We certainly have gone a bit cold with our picks, but fear not, we are completely confident – and one thing is 100% for certain, we’ll always be providing the very best and most pertinent insight into these fantastic baby races. All the best, keep the faith and stay safe, my Edgie Pallies.
